Posted on 06/25/2008 10:38:19 AM PDT by kellynla
In what seems to be a mixed message to consumers looking to stretch their food dollars, Ralphs is lowering prices on thousands of groceries starting Wednesday – but is also capping double coupons at $1.
The latter money-saving program, where a $1 off coupon gets you $2 off one item, has been a mainstay perk at Ralphs for years. Now, the supermarket chain – Orange County's second largest – said it will only double coupons up to $1 off.
So, a 75-cent coupon, will get you an additional 25 cents off. The change – announced Tuesday in promotional fliers – is already irking avid coupon clippers.
"I will not shop at Ralphs anymore," Vera Frankovich said Tuesday after learning of the policy change at a Ralphs in Orange.
Clutching a fistful of $1- and $2-off coupons, Frankovich said she'll defect to Vons for future grocery trips. The Safeway-owned chain tried to scrap double coupons in 2006, but was forced to bring them back after consumers fled, ironically, to Ralphs.
Still, Ralphs shoppers expressed relief that the chain plans to lower prices on groceries. Discounted items will be marked with yellow tags, according to ads the chain began promoting Tuesday.
"It's good that Ralphs is lowering their prices," shopper Juan Arellano, 70, said Tuesday. "They have high prices but they usually have good products, too, so I'm okay with it."
(Excerpt) Read more at ocregister.com ...
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The latter money-saving program, where a $1 off coupon gets you $2 off one item, has been a mainstay perk at Ralphs for years. Now, the supermarket chain – Orange County's second largest – said it will only double coupons up to $1 off.
So, a 75-cent coupon, will get you an additional 25 cents off. The change – announced Tuesday in promotional fliers – is already irking avid coupon clippers.
Ever since Kroger started doubling coupons--in the early 90s, I think--it has capped the total at $1.00; but a bit less generously: A 75-cent coupon is worth...75 cents. So, ironically, a 50-cent coupon (or even a 40-cent coupon) is worth more than a 75-cent coupon. (Bi-Lo--when there was a Bi-Lo--did the same thing, except up to and including 55-cent coupons, which doubled to $1.10; but Publix bought out Bi-Lo about a year-and-a-half ago, and has no similar program.)
My advice: Shop at Wal-Mart. Granted, it accepts coupons only at face value; but its prices are enormously better. (The frozen chocolate pie we frequently purchase is $3.98 everyday at Wal-Mart, versus $5.59 elsewhere; a six-pack of one type of candy bars we like is $2.48 at Wal-Mart, versus $3.99 elsewhere; and on and on.
You must also get a good price on the heart medicine to go along with that diet ;-)
Now Ralph's is reducing prices (and coupon rates) in order to keep its clientele. Too bad there's no HEB in California.
I wouldn’t be caught dead in Mao-Mart!
I like shopping where the employees don’t have to get food stamps so that they can afford to buy groceries where they work.
I live in Georgia, but grew up in Texas. I love HEB, there is not a better place to shop.
I wish we had them here in GA, it would lower our prices instantly.
I think the Publix here does double coupons.
Being as the "B" stands for "Butt", you'd think neighboring (heavily 'gay') Palm Springs would be lobbying for one.
Back to Ralph's -- I fondly remember the strike about four years ago - surprisingly the picket lines were honored to a high degree, so those of us that went in found stunning deals. One day, they'd just gotten their full allotment of pork roasts and loins, and just marked 'em all down to $1.00, regardless of weight.
Wifey and I ate real cheap for a long time, because we jammed our freezer bigtime.
Ah, the HEB of old, back when they had competition. Now that they don't, prices are way higher than they used to be.
Touche.
I will readily admit that I have never made a fetish of healthy dining. That said, however, the savings are not limited to dessert items.
I have also found that Wal-Mart's store-brand items (Great Value for food and cleaning products, Equate for OTC medicines and some other products) are less expensive than similar store brands from competing merchants--and of generally equal quality.
The two of us probably save about $15-$20 per week by shopping at Wal-Mart instead of a competing supermarket chain, without any sacrifice in quality. A large family would undoubtedly save even more--perhaps much more.
And (even better) just $10 for a 90-day supply of generics. (For the record, Kroger offers the same deal; I just shop more at Wal-Mart due to their low prices on groceries.)
I like shopping where the employees don’t have to get food stamps so that they can afford to buy groceries where they work.
I'm not certain that I understand your point, except in the most nebulous way possible: It appears to impute some vague Marxist tendencies to Wal-Mart, albeit of a nature that remains unspecified, beyond the observation that the company's employees (allegedly) "can[not] afford to buy groceries where they work" sans food stamps.
Are you suggesting that Wal-Mart promotes Marxism (whether intentionally or inadvertantly) by paying its employees an insufficient wage? Or what?
Kellinia comes out from under the rock to bash China and Walmart. Under the rock there is darkness and a dearth of truth.
I would not doubt that you are correct. Sometimes a supermarket in one city will follow a different policy than the same supermarket in a different city. (By the same token, Kroger in some cities may double coupons up to a higher limit--or even without limit. I confess my ignorance on this matter.)
I think Publix's forte is its service: The employees (at the one local store I have visited, anyway) have been unfailingly cheerful and helpful. But even that does not compensate for the much higher prices vis-a-vis Wal-Mart, in my opinion.
I’m not “suggesting” anything other than the facts that I stated.
If you can’t comprehend them, I can’t help you.
“Kellinia comes out from under the rock to bash China and Walmart. Under the rock there is darkness and a dearth of truth?”
If you’re gonna talk about me, at least have the decency to address me...oh and you can take your ad hominem posts back to the DU where you learned them; they’re not welcome on my threads!...Time you learned the posting rules...you’ve certainly been around here long enough to know what they are by now! Of course if you’re some kind of Lefty Commie lover, I’ll excuse your rudeness. LMAO
and FYI, genius, it’s Kelly N LA...and that’s Mr. Kelly to you.
The problem being, of course, that "the facts" you "stated" were...well, I started to say vague; but nonexistent might be a more accurate description of it.
If you wish to make a specific point about the (alleged) mendacity--or stinginess, or whatever--of Wal-Mart, I would be more than happy to engage you in the discussion. But what you set forth in an earlier post--the one to which we remain pointed--seemed much more like a sentiment than a serious argument against Wal-Mart.
If you can’t comprehend them, I can’t help you.
This probably requires no comment.
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