The items tabbed for the freeze come right out of many consumers' weekly
shopping lists. Included are bananas, cereal, orange juice, ground beef, coffee,
cold cuts, canned and frozen vegetables, pasta and sauce, peanut butter, rotisserie
chicken, yogurt and more.
"We considered the importance of an item to a family when choosing our list of 40," said Colleen Wegman, president of the chain, in a statement. "Such things as bananas, pasta, frozen vegetables, and laundry detergent are in most shopping carts every week. They are products that families can't do without, so what they pay for these items really matters."
Nearly all of the items on Wegmans' list are the chain's own brand.
"We can be more aggressive with pricing for our own brand because we have better access to information on the factors that determine costs," said Jo Natale, director of media relations for Wegmans. "These products are already the best value in their respective category, and for that reason, they are also usually the top-selling brand in a category."
"Costs for many of these products have risen and may continue to rise over the next 9 months. If retail prices reflected the true cost of goods, it would mean an additional $350 to $400 annually for a family of four."
The chain is launching a campaign to make shoppers aware of the freeze. This week's ad will include the statement: "We commit that the 40 products in this ad will not change price through the end of 2011. That's what we mean by consistent low prices. We hope this helps you and your family in planning your weekly food budget."