Ask a Grocer

[RedWolf]

That works as long as there isn't a power or communication failure & the places you shop accept your type of card.

Type of card: Interac system here (debit) is pretty much universal and run by the major banks. As long as you have a VISA credit card it will pretty much be accepted anywhere. AMEX is a problem but thats why I carry both.

Communication Failure: I go to a different retailer. They lose business. Minor inconvenience for me.

Power Outage: Definitely a problem. But in an extended power outage how much cash can a person reasonably expected to have? Most people that use less plastic then me don't really carry large sums either (not enough to make a difference anyway).

I do understand your point though - and when doing business with smaller independent retailers I try to use cash whenever possible. With large corporations though I use debit without worry or guilt. Even for transactions totalling less then $2 sometimes.

Kraft is an example of what is known as a national brand or name brand. A store's brand is known as private label. I'm not sure if IGA has an "IGA" brand. The IGAs I have seen use Shurfine & Shurfresh as their private label.

Here in Ontario, IGA's private label is called "Our Compliments".

 

[ironduck]

My advice is to never rely on Wiki for business related information. As I said above, RFID chips have only been tested at case level, not item level & haven't been implemented by any retailer, yet.

So the 5 cent per chip figure is wrong? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rfid#Passive

I live in Denmark, btw.

Edit: You said earlier that vendors fight for shelf space. What exactly do they do to get the shelf space they want? Supermarkets here tend to change brands fairly often on a number of products, which is really annoying when I've finally found a good product. Often that product seems to sell well, but is replaced by another one anyway after a while.

 

[Mathilda]

How many hours a week do you work?

 

[Maimonides]

As long as you have a VISA credit card it will pretty much be accepted anywhere. AMEX is a problem but thats why I carry both.

American Express charges the merchant the highest fees of any credit card I know of. This is why it is accepted in fewer stores.

I do understand your point though - and when doing business with smaller independent retailers I try to use cash whenever possible.

I love to hear this!

Here in Ontario, IGA's private label is called "Our Compliments".

Thanks for the info. I know that IGAs exist all over the world, but I haven't seen an IGA outside of the U.S.

So the 5 cent per chip figure is wrong? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rfid#Passive

I looked at that Wiki link & the info seems accurate, but it is at least a year outdated. The chips are inserted at production. As a retailer, I have no reason to buy them. Again, they are being used at pallet & case level, not item level.

I live in Denmark, btw.

Thanks. I can't really say much about how credit or debit cards work there. Amsterdam is the closest I've ever been.

You said earlier that vendors fight for shelf space. What exactly do they do to get the shelf space they want?

Space within a store equals money, but the space is finite. Statistically, the more shelf & display space an item has, the more it sells. A shopper is more likely to see the item if it has more space in the store. An attractive display might entice a shopper to try an item they hadn't planned on purchasing. That understood, vendors always want more space because they want their items to sell better.

1. A vendor might offer a store lower prices if they are given a certain amount of space.
2. A vendor might pay for shelf or display space.
3. A vendor might offer free coolers or freezers that are then filled with their products.
4. A vendor might offer free distribution which means that the 1st case is free to insure that an item gets onto the shelf.
5. Usually, the vendor just pesters management unendingly for more space.

Vendors are constantly asking me for more space. Part of my job is to allocate the limited space in the best way possible.

Supermarkets here tend to change brands fairly often on a number of products, which is really annoying when I've finally found a good product. Often that product seems to sell well, but is replaced by another one anyway after a while.

Statistically, most sales growth in the grocery industry comes from new items. Vendors need space to get these new items into a store. Often, old items have to be discontinued to make room in the warehouse or store for new items.

What sells well in your local store might not sell in other stores. Every store is different. If an item doesn't sell well enough, the store, wholesaler or manufacturer will discontinue it

Sometimes, a manufacturer or brand owner goes out of business.

Some discount stores change brands often depending on which brand is cheapest.

This constant discontinuing & introducing of items is a big hassle to us grocers, too. It forces us to constantly reset shelf space, enter new items into our computer systems, delete discontinued items & generate new signs & shelf tags. I hate having to tell a customer that an item they like is no longer available.

How many hours a week do you work?

Hard to say exactly. I go into the store 7 days a week. If I have a full staff & everyone shows up as scheduled, I am there 6 to 10 hours a day. If I am short a manager or cashier, I might be there 10 to 16 hours that day. About 5 to 6 times a year the alarm company calls me at home in the middle of the night because an alarm is going off. Then I have to crawl out of bed, drive back to the store & meet the police.

Two months ago, I took a day & a half off to fly out of town to attend a wedding. The only day of the year my store is closed is Christmas Day so I get at least one day off a year.

I have a friend who owns 2 stores. He opens one & stays there until noon. Then he goes home, takes a 2 hour nap & goes into the other until it closes, 7 days a week.

My full time employees work 40 hours a week. My part timers work 20 to 30 hours a week.

 

[downtown]

I had no idea that debit cards were such a pain for small retailers....I almost never carry cash anymore, since i'm more inclined to spend it on stupid stuff. Maybe I'll start to use it more, since I do most of my shopping locally anyways....

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Now me, I just don't carry cash so I don't have to feel guilty about not giving it to people who ask for spare change . . .

 

[RedWolf]

American Express charges the merchant the highest fees of any credit card I know of. This is why it is accepted in fewer stores.

Yeah I've been told this in the past. I only carry it because for no fee I get airmiles (at better return then my VISA rewards). The downside is I also have to carry a VISA "just in case".

Thanks for the info. I know that IGAs exist all over the world, but I haven't seen an IGA outside of the U.S.

Also - I just checked wiki to confirm but the Canadian chain Sobeys owns IGA in Canada now.

I love Sobeys - it's overpriced compared to the discount stores but it has tons of product variety, shorter lineups, high quality product and feels clean and new.

 

[ummmm........]

American Express charges the merchant the highest fees of any credit card I know of. This is why it is accepted in fewer stores.

So is AMEX worse than Discover then? I seem to see many more places that refuse Discover than refuse AMEX. I've always been curious about that . . .

 

[Turner]

I can think of very few places that don't accept debit cards over here...I like them, myself. However since my experience a couple of months ago, I'm a bit more conscious of where and how I use them.

What was that experience?

The one with the guy and the tow truck I mentioned earlier.

As for the self-checkout areas in the Kansas City area, we go up to a self-checkout register. Usually there's four registers to one person 'manning' them. They more oversee and are available for questions/help. Some payments require you go up to them, but I've never figured out which ones. Gift cards, I think. Anyways, there's a product scanner there, just like a regular register. Not the same as, but close. You scan your items, and bag them up and on your way you go.

Some of the places have scales where you bag, and it knows how much your bags should weigh. I suppose if you tried to sneak something, it would alert the cashier who's overseeing the area. But I've never had that problem, so I don't know what would happen.

Thanks for the report!

If'n I'm gonna be spying for you, I expect my normal consultancy rate....

 

[Maimonides]

I had no idea that debit cards were such a pain for small retailers.

Many, if not most, consumers don't.

I almost never carry cash anymore, since i'm more inclined to spend it on stupid stuff.

I have the same problem with cash in my pocket. Luckily, I don't shop very often.

The industry term for purchasing "stupid stuff'" is making an impulse purchase. Retailers have become quite good at placing impulse items in heavily trafficked parts of the store like near the checkout lanes.

Now me, I just don't carry cash so I don't have to feel guilty about not giving it to people who ask for spare change . . .

We're really getting off topic, but I can relate to that, too. Panhandling is unheard of in my area. The 1st time I was in New York City, I was overwhelmed with confusion at all the bums asking me for money.

Yeah I've been told this in the past. I only carry it because for no fee I get airmiles (at better return then my VISA rewards). The downside is I also have to carry a VISA "just in case".

You are paying for the air miles either way. Credit card rewards give you the illusion of getting something for free. Instead of your money going from you to the airline, it goes from you to the merchant (built into the price of goods or services) to the credit card company to the airline.

Also - I just checked wiki to confirm but the Canadian chain Sobeys owns IGA in Canada now.

Again, Wiki isn't a good source for business news. When I looked, Wiki had Sobeys listed as the owner of IGA in Canada & Loblaw as the owner of IGA in eastern Canada simultaneously.

Sobeys, Inc. owns the IGA name in Canada & supplies the IGA stores. The stores themselves are independently owned.

I love Sobeys - it's overpriced compared to the discount stores but it has tons of product variety, shorter lineups, high quality product and feels clean and new.

Thanks for the report! No store can be all things to all people. Every store has to find it's niche.

So is AMEX worse than Discover then? I seem to see many more places that refuse Discover than refuse AMEX. I've always been curious about that . . .

Discover uses a different network than other cards. Some retailers just aren't hooked into that network. I've seen retailers that only accept Discover & aren't hooked into other networks.

If'n I'm gonna be spying for you, I expect my normal consultancy rate....

It's in the mail.

 

[Turner]

My son would like to get a job as a bagger, being 14 and wanting to save up for his own stuff.

Any advice you can give me I can pass on so he has a better chance of getting the job?

 

[RedWolf]

You are paying for the air miles either way. Credit card rewards give you the illusion of getting something for free. Instead of your money going from you to the airline, it goes from you to the merchant (built into the price of goods or services) to the credit card company to the airline.

I disagree abut "credit card" rewards. Assuming the credit card is no fee and I don't carry a balance the rewards are truly "free". The merchants don't adjust the price soley for for me - so having the credit card and earning the points are beter then not.

For loyalty points where you are forced to shop at certain stores (to earn)you're right they do adjust their prices accordingly - which is why I try to not choose locations based on points - so this means I would have shopped their anyway - points can only be a "bonus" in such cases.

 

[Maimonides]

I disagree abut "credit card" rewards. Assuming the credit card is no fee and I don't carry a balance the rewards are truly "free".

Nothing in life is free. One way or the other you pay for everything. Further explaination would get into basic laws of physics & economics & probably take us too far off topic.

Not carrying a credit card balance is very wise. I worry more about the increasing number of people who borrow money they can't afford to repay from their credit card company.

My son would like to get a job as a bagger, being 14 and wanting to save up for his own stuff.

Any advice you can give me I can pass on so he has a better chance of getting the job?

Because I don't employ anyone under 16, I took a quick look at the Department of Labor's website & found this interesting page concerning minors working in grocery stores. Two big problems from an employer's perspective are that 14 year olds typically rely on rides to get to work & are barred by law from working longer than 3 hours on a school day.

Here are some pointers that will help him land the job:

1. Put in applications at several different grocery stores. I usually get 4 or 5 applications a day & couldn't possibly employ them all even if they were all very qualified. There is a limitless supply of teens looking to earn a little extra money. The more stores he applies at, the better his chances of landing a job.

2. Fill out an application COMPLETELY. I get applications with no phone number all the time. It doesn't help to apply if the employer can't contact him. If the app isn't dated, the employer may not know if it's recent or 2 years old.

3. If he has never had a job before, which is likely at that age, he should just write in something like, "Looking for 1st job" in the employment history section so the employer knows he hasn't overlooked that part of the app. If he has had a paper route or done any babysitting or lawnmowing, mention it. This shows that he can take on simple responsibilities & is motivated.

4. If he has attained the Boy Scout rank of Eagle Scout, mention it on the app. This is the only nonacademic accomplishment from childhood that is a permanent resume builder. Only about 1 in every 100 boys who join Scouting make it to Eagle Scout. This says allot to an employer.

5. If he doesn't hear back from the employer in a couple of weeks, have him call to be sure the employeer hasn't lost his app & to check on it's status. Do it again if a month passes. This shows that he is motivated & that his interest is genuine. Lots of kids put in apps for jobs they don't want to make their parents happy. If he were to call several times a week, the employer could feel pestered. Sometimes, it takes several weeks before a position becomes open.

6. Personal appearance & hygiene is very important. Tatoos, facial piercings & such might be OK for a music store, but not for a grocery store. Grocery stores sell food primarily & employees who practice self mutilation or wear unkempt clothing do not lend to an appetizing atmosphere. If he looks like he respects himself, the employer is more likely to believe he will respect the store & it's customers.

7. Neat handwriting on an app is important. Apps that are barely legible rarely get looked at twice. Neat handwriting could be indicative of neat work habits.

8. During the interview, he should ask intelligent questions such as:
When is payday?
What is the dress code?
When is the schedule posted?
Et Cedera.
This shows the employer that he is thoughtful. If he never opens his mouth during the interview, the employer won't be able to get a sense of what his personality is like.

9. If he has a friend already working at the store, this could help & hurt him. His friend could tell him when a postion is open & exactly who to contact regarding his app. The employer might worry that he will spend too much time goofing around with his friend while on duty.

10. Attaching a letter of recommendation from a past employer, Scoutmaster or clergyman to his app can help allot.

11. If he's looking to earn money for a specific goal, whether it be saving for a car, for college or just to be able to take his girlfiend out on the weekend, he should mention it during the interview. This shows that he is motivated & goal oriented.

 

[Turner]

Thanks.

We do know that the store I mentioned in the PM does hire kids his age, and that's why we picked that store. I can call around the other chains to see if they take 14 y/o's. He's also close enough to the store I mentioned he could walk up to it.

 

[Maimonides]

I forgot to mention that he should get the apps in soon. Near the end of the school year there are hordes of teens looking for summer jobs.

 

[Maimonides]

Touching back on the credit card discussion, some jerk ran a few copies at my store today & tried to pay for them with a credit card. I'd have to charge 35 cents a copy just to break even. I sent him to the ATM to get cash.

Turner, I've been trying to remember if I have any contacts at that chain your son is applying at, but I've come up blank. I used to know a good stocker who worked for them, but he doesn't anymore. If I come up with a contact name that might help, I'll PM you.

And now the real reason for this bump:

PET FOOD RECALL​

*insert ominous music*

As everyone in the U.S. who has seen a TV in the last 2 weeks knows, there has been a huge pet food recall. Basically, a pet food plant in Emporia, Kansas owned by Menu Foods imported some wheat gluten from China. Wheat gluten is an ingredient in "wet" pet food. The Chinese wheat gluten was contaminated by a substance that is used as a rodent poison & a cancer drug. It is illegal to use as a rodent poison in the U.S., but not in China. Welcome to the global economy.

Last I looked, 20 cats & dogs have died & 100s have become seriously ill in the U.S. I'm not sure if the contaminated pet food was exported. The contaminant causes kidney failure. Menu Foods made 93 private label brands & 2 name brands that may be contaminated & have been recalled. I'm not going to list all of the private label brands here.

"Wet" is an industry term for canned & pouched pet food as opposed to dry, bagged pet food.

Return private label branded items that have been recalled to the store where you purchased them.

Iams canned & pouched cat & dog food is one recalled name brand. The Iams brand is owned by Proctor & Gamble. I have been instructed that P&G is handling the return of it's Iams products itself. To return recalled Iams products, contact the P&G Customer Care Group at 1-800-882-1591 or www.Iams.com or www.Eukanuba.com.

The other name brand is Mighty Dog. Only one Mighty Dog item has been recalled so far. It is the Mighty Dog Premium Variety pack, PLU 5000021253, production codes 6337 through 7073 followed by 1798. Mighty Dog is owned by Purina which is owned by Nestle. This product should be returned to Nestle/Purina by calling 1-800-551-7392.

I hope all of your pets are healthy & happy. I remain happy to answer any questions about this recall or the grocery industry I can.

EDIT 4/3/07: Hill's Pet Nutrition has now recalled it's Prescription Diet m/d Feline brand of dry pet food. This is the 1st dry pet food of this recall. Prescription Diet is not made by Menu Foods, but contains wheat gluten from the same supplier Menu Foods used. Prescription Diet is only available through a veterinarian so I'm not privy to it's recall details & don't know how Hills is handling it's return.

A chemical called melamine has also been found in the recalled pet food. It is toxic to pets, but only in high doses. It is used to make plastic kitchen ware, but in China, it is used as a fertilizer. Again, welcome to the global economy.

I have learned that the recalled pet food was exported to Canada & Mexico.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration is trying to find out if the contaminated Chinese wheat gluten made it into human food.

EDIT 4/7/07: Alpo brand canned dog food has now been recalled. As far as I can tell, this is all Alpo canned dog food. This product must be returned to the store where it was purchased by the end of April for a refund. After that, I don't know. I have been told that the manufacturer is only accepting recalled Alpo until the end of April from retailers.

The supplier of the contaminated Chinese wheat gluten says that none of their product has entered human food.

EDIT 4/9/07: Sunshine Mills, Inc. of Red Bay, Alabama has volountarily recalled several of the dog biscuits it manufactured. Sunshine produces pet food under many brands & private labels & not all of them have been recalled so I won't list them all here. The FDA informed them that some of the wheat gluten they used came from the contaminated Chinese source & contained melamine. No illnesses or deaths have been reported relating to Sunshine's products so this recall is precautionary. If you have recalled dog biscuits made by Sunshine, return them to the place of purchase or contact Sunshine's customer service at 1-800-705-2111.

Again, melamine is not approved for use in food in the U.S. It is toxic in high doses. In China, it is used as a fertilizer. In the U.S., it is used to make plastic kitchenware.

 

[Turner]

Hey, thanks, I appreciate that.

However, he has to be fifteen to work at that store, so we're putting that on hold for now. But I do appreciate the offer.

 

[downtown]

we were discussing the pet food recall in one of my legislative politics classes...

The question was posed "would an increased government regulation role with the pet food industry help prevent issues like this from occuring?"

(I have no idea what current regulatory stress the industry is under).

If thats true, would it be in the best interest for the industry to accept that, since I imagine the profit hurt spreads to other pet food companies besides the ones involved (like they did with the spinich crisis last fall)?

 

[Maimonides]

Sorry it's taken me so long to respond. Been very busy with work lately & I lost a couple of long posts before I could post them to stupid mistakes.

we were discussing the pet food recall in one of my legislative politics classes...

The question was posed "would an increased government regulation role with the pet food industry help prevent issues like this from occuring?"

That's a hard call in this situation. The contaminated product was imported so it must have passed through customs. I don't think it's practical for government agencies to test all the food entering the U.S. The quantity of food we import is staggering. There is an endless list of things that could contaminate food.

The government does inspect all food production facilities in the U.S. This case does not involve human food, though. The current worry is that the contaminated wheat gluten somehow made it into human food production.

(I have no idea what current regulatory stress the industry is under).

There is allot of regulation at every level of govenment, but it's purpose is generally public safety so it's hard to argue with.

If thats true, would it be in the best interest for the industry to accept that, since I imagine the profit hurt spreads to other pet food companies besides the ones involved (like they did with the spinich crisis last fall)?

Those in the food industry also eat the food so food safety is in everyone's interest. Everyone is a consumer of this industry. Profit doesn't matter much if your kidneys are failing or you have E Coli because of contaminated food.

Here's a quick breakdown of the major food recalls in the U.S. over the last year:

1. Fresh Spinach

This was eventually traced to a few farms in California that were using water from a "questionable" source to irrigate their fields. The spinach was contaminated with E Coli. Deaths resulted. Frozen spinach was not affected because it is cooked before being frozen.

2. Lettuce

This affected Taco Bell restaraunts in the northeastern U.S. The lettuce they were using was contaminated with a pathogen I can't remember. Deaths resulted. All lettuce distribution was halted until it was discovered that the problem was specific to Taco Bell.

3. Pet Food

See Post 96 of this thread.

4. My mind just blanked. I am forgetting a couple more.

The timing of your question is funny because my store was inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Department of Weights & Measures the day you posted it. My store is inspected and/or licensed by the following:

1. USDA inspects me about twice a year to test the temperature of my eggs, their dates & if I'm buying them from a licensed, repudable source.

2. USDA inspects me about twice a year to test my scales for accuracy.

3. USFDA inspects me about 3 times a year to make sure I am not selling any over the counter (OTC) drugs that can be used in the production of methamphetamines.

4. State Department of Agriculture stops by about once a year to make sure I am advertising & selling meat at accurate prices. They also require I be licensed by them.

5. State Alcohol & Beverage Control (ABC) sends minors into my store to try to purchase tobacco. They have done this 3 times in the last year. Fines for failing this inspection start at $5000 for the 1st offense. I've never failed, thank goodness.

6. State Department of Pharmacy requires I be licensed by them to sell OTC drugs. They have never inspected my store. I have a theory that this agency only exists as a mailing address.

7. State Department of Wildlife & Parks requires I be licensed by them to sell hunting & fishing licenses.

8. State DWP requires another license to sell live bait which I do in the summertime. This license requires I don't sell anything that could be an invasive species problem for example. They have never inspected me & it's hard to get them to even answer the phone when I have a question.

9. Unknown state agency requires I be licensed to sell propane. My propane vendor handles the paperwork for me. I just write the check. My propane storage has never been inspected, but I have heard of stores that have.

10. County Health Department inspects me several times a year. They require I be licensed by them.

11. County Air Quality inspector stops by a few times a year to make sure I'm not using the incinerator that hasn't been used in a decade. This guy is walking proof of wasted taxpayer money.

12. County agency that I can't identify sends a minor into my store several times a year to try to purchase tobacco. One of my cashiers failed this inspection once & they wrote me a letter asking me to do better. Apparently, the county is trying to help the state improve it's compliance rates.

13. County Fire Marshal has inspected me once in the last 4 years.

14. City licenses me to sell beer. This license requires an annual inspection for fire safety. Don't ask me what the connection is. If I gave up my beer license, I'd almost never be inspected for fire safety...

15. City requires I have an Occupational License. It has no requirements I know of, but I have to pay for it.

16. City requires I have a Retailer License. Again, it has no requirements I know of. These licenses seem to be nothing more than a source of funds for the city.

17. City requires I be licensed to sell fireworks for Independance Day. This requires a safety inspection by the city Codes Enforcement officer.

These examples are just what I can think of off the top of my head.

I also cannot sell any meat that has not been inspected by the USDA, but that is inspected & graded at the points of production. The owners of a grocery store in Independance, Missouri & the owners of a rural Missouri meat supplier were brought up on several federal charges last year for conspiring to sell uninspected, tainted pork. Yuck.

As you can see, I'm subject to the rules & regulations of many government agencies & all levels of government.

I have more info on the subject for you, but I need to get to bed. I'll try to return to this subject again soon.

I am updating Post 96 of this thread with pet food recall info rather than spreading that info out over several posts.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

I actually have on several occasions done an alcohol/tobacco compliance check. It was mostly to 7-11s and Sunocos - but they have strict rules that the checkers be over 21, just young looking I guess.