The 12 worst supermarkets in America are profiled here.
http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2012/04/13/The-12-Worst-Supermarkets-in-America.aspx#page1
Several on the list are struggling chains including Shaw's, A&P, Pathmark, Jewel-Osco, and Acme.
Interesting!
Shaw's is there but Stop&Shop too.
A common theme among the lowest-rated supermarkets is an aging fleet of stores and high labor costs. Walmart doesn't have niceties like full-service meat departments, and out-of-stocks are common as they are chronically understaffed.
I remember this article got picked apart when it was published last year; in particular commenters were pointing out that even the worst chains were scoring around 70% overall on Consumer Reports, which isn't relatively that bad. People also noticed that half the chains are in the northeast states, making people wonder how well spread out the 24,000 people surveyed were. I found it interesting that many of the chains are owned by the same company and run pretty much the same way (Acme, Shaw's, Jewel/ Osco), yet scored so differently.
I also find people like to complain more so in the Northeast, NYC metro area specifically. I do think places like the A&P stores belong on here though.
I must say that in my area, Shop-Rite deserves to be on that list. A&P should be #1. Just my opinion.
Tops "Friendly" Markets was in the middle of the list at number 6!
Giant Eagle should definitely be on this list as well, because as soon as they started their Fuelperks! Program in 2005, they completely started making cuts everywhere. They stopped valuing the consumer, got rid of good customer service, eliminated a lot of their Giant Eagle brand products during a world-wide recession forcing the consumer to pay high price for name brand products, and they stopped listening to the consumer. After four and a half years of things continuing to get worse there, I decided if Giant Eagle is going to give away free gas in exchange to get rid of good quality customer service and where they are going to value money over the consumer, I told myself, "That's fine. Giant Eagle can lose me as one of their valued shoppers." Starting in 2010, I went back to shopping at my local IGA Store which is where I had originally loved shopping from when I was a little boy until I moved out on my own in 2001. Boy, am I glad I have gone back to shopping at my local IGA Store. At least my local IGA Store still values the consumer just like they always did when I was a little boy growing up back in the 1980's/1990's with my mother, father, & last but not least my younger brother whom I must say is now an adult in his upper twenties while I prepare to turn thirty the last day of this month. It's amazing how much changes I have seen in the store/business world in the almost thirty years of my life.
Quote from: IGA/Kmart Is Forever! on March 07, 2013, 10:57:48 PM
Giant Eagle should definitely be on this list as well, because as soon as they started their Fuelperks! Program in 2005, they completely started making cuts everywhere. They stopped valuing the consumer, got rid of good customer service, eliminated a lot of their Giant Eagle brand products during a world-wide recession forcing the consumer to pay high price for name brand products, and they stopped listening to the consumer. After four and a half years of things continuing to get worse there, I decided if Giant Eagle is going to give away free gas in exchange to get rid of good quality customer service and where they are going to value money over the consumer, I told myself, "That's fine. Giant Eagle can lose me as one of their valued shoppers." Starting in 2010, I went back to shopping at my local IGA Store which is where I had originally loved shopping from when I was a little boy until I moved out on my own in 2001. Boy, am I glad I have gone back to shopping at my local IGA Store. At least my local IGA Store still values the consumer just like they always did when I was a little boy growing up back in the 1980's/1990's with my mother, father, & last but not least my younger brother whom I must say is now an adult in his upper twenties while I prepare to turn thirty the last day of this month. It's amazing how much changes I have seen in the store/business world in the almost thirty years of my life.
I couldn't agree more, I was actually shocked not to see giant on this list. Their prices are high, the quality of their meat and seafood seems to be a bit lacking, their stores are dull and dirty, oh have I mention their prices are high? Seriously I cant decide who is more expensive giant or safeway. That reminds me of something that happened to me a while back. I was shopping at Safeway with my mom and she was browsing the meat and she goes "omg look at this that cant be right." Their was 4 different roasts sitting in their package each priced around $100. Either their was gold inside that roast or someone didn't know how to work the scale.
I am surprised that Big M or even the remaining Grand Unions aren't here the stores are awful and with the prices I might as well just drive to wal-mart which seems to run out of everything...
Quote from: buzz86us on March 20, 2013, 05:06:01 AM
I am surprised that Big M or even the remaining Grand Unions aren't here the stores are awful and with the prices I might as well just drive to wal-mart which seems to run out of everything...
What is 'Big M'?
Quote from: JimSawhill on March 22, 2013, 10:52:14 AM
What is 'Big M'?
http://www.bigmsupermarkets.com/StoreLocator/Store_S.las?-token.S=D16T9R98CCF07d8P7d5249FAWSIN6L533ED363|140207|1303221500|||
They tend to be stores in smaller towns (not all, but most) primarily in western/northern NY with a couple in PA.
They used to be franchised/supplied by Penn Traffic, but since that company is gone I'm not sure who they work with now - not sure if they went to Tops with the P&C/Quality/etc. stores or not.
The remaining Grand Unions are now under Tops control as well (as noted elsewhere).