@Con Seannery:

Pa sales tax is currently 6%, but almost all food and clothing is exempt!

(and, if you use any coupons, the tax must be calculated on the final sales total AFTER the discount. CVS got their hand slapped for that with those DigitalTV transition coupons)

See that all the time here (Super Saver), comparing their prices to Hy-Vee, Super Target, Super WalMart - but not Russ's IGA since SS and Russ's are part of the same corporate family. They even do the comparison of a shopping cart full of a typical consumer's shopping experience, showing how much cheaper the selected items are there than at the store they are comparing to.

Stop & Shop (big here in New England) has taken to posting little hangtags over shelf displays that *appear* to be sale or special flags; they are bright yellow. On closer inspection, they simply compare a S&S price on that item to the everyday price at a competitor, Shaw's Supermarkets.

I often have the urge to add a post-it note saying, "And at TARGET, you can get this juice for a dollar less than here." That's a risky game to play. I also think the hangtags tempt people to assume these are bargains or sale items, when they are simply competitor comparisons on selected items that make S&S look filled with bargains. I don't like it. Cluttered, confusing, and misleading. It's one reason I do more and more of our grocery shopping at small independent markets that have amazing sales on meat and fish, also local produce in season. Just tell me the price and spare me all the distractions.

@Chaoss: My Giant has it out for Harris Teeter. Or sometimes Safeway.

@bhr:

Legally, at least in my state, one must actually buy the product (and keep the product) to showcase the competitors products.

Hence there would always be a shopping cart of food in the front of the store with signage about the prices and date of the transaction.

Date is the critical part of the law because a store can and will change their prices so you must show the date of the transaction.

I was drinking bottled water, but I wasn't able to keep it in my mouth after reading this. (because it made my laugh too hard). Then I like swallowed some of the water wrong and was coughing a bit.

@cabjf: I love Target and Wegmans. I unfortunately do not have a Wegmans nearby, but I've heard that they'll be building one in the next...five years. Sigh. There's always Target!

@Quake 'n' Shake: Thanks!!

@pecan 3.14159265: But, they don't use artificial colors or preservatives. Its impressive what kind of crap goes into the stuff at Giant's bakery. I'll pay the .35 to save my liver the trouble.

@karmaghost: No, not everything at Whole Foods is organic.

@AgentMunroe: I'd pay TWO extra cents to be able to shop at Wegmans.

/In Texas

The prices at the grocery stores in NYC are so ridiculous, a penny of savings IS a rare boon to be celebrated. What is to become of us, indeed?

(I've lived in 3 out of the canonical 5, so I feel I qualify as an midatlantician.)

@pmcpa4: @pmcpa4: I really have to disagree with you for the most part on the pricing at Wegmans. Yes, there are items that cost more at Wegman's than they do down at the ShopRite. But generally, those items are higher quality or brand than the same item you could buy at any other store. The main reason is variety. At a Giant or ShopRite, they will only offer one type of hamburger bun. That pack of buns will run you $.99. Wegmans will offer that same type of bun at the same price, but will offer several other styles such as whole wheat, whole grain, kaiser, hard roll, etc that come in at a higher price. The trick is that Wegman's will make the regular hamburger buns look less appealing than the same type you get at Giant, therefore, you spend more to get the higher quality product.

If you make a list, check the sales paper and stick to only the items you need, you will definitely SAVE money by shopping at Wegman's. My problem is that I find myself buying things I don't really need or gourmet items like the 17 year old Balsamic Vinegar I bought last time or the aged herbed french goat cheese.

And hey, if you buy a thousand loaves, it starts to be serious money. Then you could build a house out of the bread after you get foreclosed on. It's all good, eh?

@pmcpa4: Hm. I guess what threw me off was that the post called it "Mid-Atlantic" and for me, Mid-Atlantic stops when you get north of Maryland. Then it's New England.

@Wes_Sabi: The Giant stores I've seen in Virginia are pretty good. I've seen a few crappy ones, but overall, they're very bright and clean. I'm wondering whether the Giant pictured in the photo is a different chain altogether, because the logo for my local Giant stores is this: [kiwanis.avenue.org] and [activerain.com]

Even more disgusting, another Giant location that's only a few miles away but in a different pricing zone will quite often have a higher price (sometimes substantially)

@RPHP: Sarcasm remains as unprofitable as ever. But boy, is it fun!

@pecan 3.14159265: Yes but their buffalo wings are pretty damn tasty!

That's the Fairsley difference.

@Quake 'n' Shake: You know how PA rolls when it comes to baked goods!

How many loaves of bread do they have to sell to make up for the printing costs of that sign?

I wonder how much of this is corporate fueled...

IE. Headquarters says "we must beat prices on these 100 specific items. Go across town and check the prices for those 100 items and put up signage" And whatever formula/pricing sheet they use as long as X

$1.99 and $2 are pretty good prices! Whole Foods charges $2.35, those jerks.

Begun, the Price Wars have.

OTOH, it's good for business, no?

* assuming it's a state that charges tax on bread

/ is of Pennsylvania Dutch descent
// Had Dutchie relatives who would drive across town to save 2¢ a gallon on gas.