Decoding DemocracyBaltimore Bridge CollapseMillion BazillionI've Always Wondered ...

Loading...

0:00
0% played
Stories Tagged as

Grocery stores

I've Always Wondered ...

Why are bananas so cheap?

by Janet Nguyen
Jun 23, 2023
They’re less expensive than other grocery staples, including tomatoes. But they were once considered a luxury item, like caviar.
Bananas are one of the cheapest items at the grocery store, but they used to be considered a delicacy.
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
Share Now on:
SHARE

Rural towns fear Kroger-Albertsons merger will close stores and raise prices

by Matt Bloom
May 2, 2023
The companies’ plans have drawn skepticism from trade unions, consumer advocate groups and Colorado's attorney general.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser speaks during a town hall meeting in Cañon City about the planned merger of Kroger and Albertsons. He said he may challenge the deal in court.
Matt Bloom/CPR News
ListenLISTEN
HTML EMBED:
COPY
EMBED EMBED
Share Now on:
SHARE
Subscribe Using:
SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE

Grocery inflation cools while restaurant prices continue to rise

by Samantha Fields
Apr 12, 2023
Because a restaurant tab pays for more than just the food on the table.
Rising wages are the main reason restaurants are increasing prices. Many eateries have boosted pay, hoping to attract and retain staff.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
ListenLISTEN
HTML EMBED:
COPY
EMBED EMBED
Share Now on:
SHARE
Subscribe Using:
SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE

"New smaller size, same great price!" The products we buy are shrinking, and so is the value.

by Janet Nguyen
Mar 1, 2023
Less of a good thing: “Marketplace” listeners tell us about products they've seen that have undergone "shrinkflation."
At Dollar Tree, packages of Hampton Farms peanuts have decreased from 1 pound to 8 ounces. Many companies are dealing with inflation by recalculating price versus quantity.
Courtesy of Percy Wilson
Share Now on:
SHARE

Will “wonky” fruit and vegetables help alleviate the U.K.’s cost of living crisis?

by Stephen Beard
Nov 23, 2022
Historically, British supermarkets have rejected all imperfect produce, but that’s changing fast under pressure from rising food prices.
Ugly produce sales have been on the rise as the cost of living in the U.K. gets more expensive.
Mychele Daniau/AFP via Getty Images
ListenLISTEN
HTML EMBED:
COPY
EMBED EMBED
Share Now on:
SHARE
Subscribe Using:
SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE

How would a Kroger-Albertsons merger change grocery prices?

by Sabri Ben-Achour
Oct 14, 2022
Kroger would become a bigger competitor against giants like Walmart, giving it more bargaining power over suppliers.
Though Kroger recently announced plans to buy Albertsons, it's unclear what that would mean for customers' grocery bills.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images
ListenLISTEN
HTML EMBED:
COPY
EMBED EMBED
Share Now on:
SHARE
Subscribe Using:
SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE

How store brands went from shamed to chic

by Kristin Schwab
Aug 17, 2022
Once seen as low quality and unattractive, generics have undergone a makeover to private-label "exclusive."
"Often the consumers don’t think of the Trader Joe's private label as a private label," says Dartmouth professor Kusum Ailawadi. "They think of it as exclusive products that I can’t find anywhere."
Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
ListenLISTEN
HTML EMBED:
COPY
EMBED EMBED
Share Now on:
SHARE
Subscribe Using:
SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE

For public good, not for profit.

Donate
I've Always Wondered ...

Why aren't mulberries sold at grocery stores?

by Janet Nguyen
Jul 22, 2022
The trees are easy to grow, but the berries are fragile and have a shorter shelf life compared to other fruits.
Mulberries are ripe when they fall off the tree.
altanakin/iStock/Getty Images Plus
Share Now on:
SHARE

It's hard to keep costs down at the supermarket, thanks to store design and our emotions

by Marielle Segarra
Jul 19, 2022
Grocery stores play on our sense of nostalgia with older music, and strategically placed items may trigger impulse buys, experts say.
Ever notice the nostalgic music playing in grocery stores? That's often intentional — putting customers in a good mood, which might encourage them to buy more.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images
ListenLISTEN
HTML EMBED:
COPY
EMBED EMBED
Share Now on:
SHARE
Subscribe Using:
SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE
I've Always Wondered ...

How do grocery stores make money when their profit margins are so low?

by Janet Nguyen
May 13, 2022
Margins can be as little as 1%. But there are three ways to look at rate of return, and other factors to consider.
Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images
Share Now on:
SHARE