Tag Archives: grocery prices

My Last Meal

OK, that’s too dramatic: Last night I had my last meal with the last of the brand name items I used to buy.

My personality type (see my “real” career at www.vantageseminars.com) is one that’s the largest group in the country. We’re 35% of the population and we’re creatures of habit and really loyal to products and places we deal – to a point. Of the 10 most common grocery items I buy (excluding milk and eggs) this was the last brand name item. Classico pasta sauce went up over 30% in price over the past few months. Tell me again where inflation is down to 4%?

Change is hard for our personality types. We don’t “move” until the pain level is high enough. That kind of price increase was. It turns out – for this product like every other I’ve said good-bye to – there are no-name alternatives that are just as good or even better! But we’d never know if we don’t get ticked off enough to try!

Our upside is prices significantly lower. The downside for manufacturers and retailers is that our personality type doesn’t come back. But the savings are worth it.

Another Grocery Price Hike? Make It Stop

Sometimes to my detriment, my personality type is that I’m very loyal and a creature of habit. However, when it comes to the regular items I buy in the grocery stores, that’s come to an end this year.

Sure, there’s grocery inflation, but there’s also a lot of “taking advantage” and outright price gauging. I don’t know what’s what, but I do know when to say enough is enough and switch brands. That’s actually not hard to do, but you first need to acknowledge that you have a loyalty problem and that other substitute products are likely just as good…and a lot less expensive.

Whether it’s habit or your budget, if you stop buying the products that have gone up a seemingly unreasonable amount, and enough other people do the same, the price will come back down. It’s simple economics 101 of supply and demand.

For me, it’s these items that I’ve had to say goodbye to – but have found other substitutes just as good:

Walmart Becel margarine up 30% (6.45 to 8.99)

Costco Pita Bites up 30%

Loblaw (No Name) Suraj mango juice up 60% (1.25 to 2.00)

Loblaw (Presidents Choice) Belgian waffles up 30% (5.00 to 6.50)

Walmart Great value wafers up 40% (1.00 to 1.40)

Costco Almond crunch cereal up 40% (10 to 14)