News

Affordability and High Energy Costs dominate as CT Legislation Session begins

Less than two weeks before President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office, Connecticut’s General Assembly reconvened for its 2025 legislative session. For nearly five months, the part-time legislature will discuss bills, hear public testimony and vote on legislation in committee and on the House and Senate floor. Lawmakers will also decide on the state’s next two-year budget.

The session began Wednesday with Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont’s State of the State address at the Capitol in Hartford.

The two-term Democratic governor will present lawmakers with a budget proposal in the coming weeks.

“And always, our north stars will be affordability and opportunity, holding down costs of energy and education, allowing you to keep more of what you earn and providing you the tools you need to earn more, to buy a home, start a business,” Lamont said during his address.

Lawmakers must end the regular session business by midnight on June 4.

High cost of power dominates early parts of Lamont’s speech

Affordability and the high cost of electricity in Connecticut dominated the early parts of Lamont’s speech to lawmakers, with the governor saying expensive power impacts everyone from families to small business owners.

“They’re asking me about the reliability and affordability of electricity, as everything we do gets more energy intensive,” Lamont said.

Lamont said the state needs to increase its supplyof low-carbon energy, but Connecticut continues to rely on two major staples for its electircal supply: natural gas and nuclear energy, the latter of which accounts for about one-third of in-state electricity.

Nuclear energy raises concern among environmentalists

Lamont hinted during his speech Wednesday that nuclear power could grow in Connecticut.

“Nuclear power that provides most of our carbon-free power,” he said. “Right now, we’re working with the federal government to find ways to expand nuclear capacity in Connecticut.”

But environmental groups immediately voiced that the state needs to focus more on renewable energy options, not more nuclear power.

“Offshore wind is, was and will continue to be a huge part of getting us to our emissions goals that both the Governor and the legislature and the public have adopted,” Lori Brown, executive director of the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters, said at the Capitol. “And we cannot afford to slide back from that.”

Last month, the state officially opted out of buying into a new offshore wind project with Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Lamont told Connecticut Public’s “The Wheelhouse” in December that the project ended from concern over cost to ratepayers.

Charles Rothenberger, a climate and energy attorney at Save the Sound, also expressed concern about the state depending more on more nuclear energy.

“I don’t believe it is a cheaper alternative to actual clean renewable energy,” Rothenberger said, citing offshore wind and solar as alternatives. “And those are projects that could come online much more quickly to help serve our needs, improving the resilience of the grid and lowering costs for customers.”

State lawmakers decry federal ‘chaos’

Democrats hold an overwhelming majority in both houses of the General Assembly.

During remarks Wednesday, Democratic House Speaker Matt Ritter urged legislators to work in a bipartisan fashion, in contrast to what he said happens in Washington D.C., as well as in many other state governments.

“People get elected and they have new majorities,” Ritter said. “There’s a new majority in D.C.; there’s a new majority here … and the first thing that they plan to do is find ways to eliminate all of the opposition’s power.”

Everyone is frustrated by federal lawmakers who risk chaos, said Vincent Candelora, Connecticut House Republican Minority Leader. He said he watched the recent election of U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson when the election of the speaker was in question.

“It struck me that either party would stand and allow potentially an institution to be put into chaos and jeopardy for political gain,” Candelora said. “And I think time and again we see that on the federal level.”

A ‘cheeky’ touch of CT showmanship

Name-checking Connecticut showman P.T. Barnum during his address, Lamont acknowledged a touch of hyperbole in the state’s recent rollout of road signs declaring Connecticut the “pizza” and “basketball” capital of the world.

Lamont said those signs attracted a lot of attention.

“Some people thought the signs were a little cheeky. Italy questioned our claim to be the pizza capital. The Boston Celtics wondered about the basketball capital,” Lamont joked. “But as a great showman, and Connecticut state representative, P.T. Barnum famously said, ‘I don’t care what they say about me, as long as they spell my name right.’ And they’re talking about Connecticut.”

Lamont says he wants to continue efforts to raise the state’s profile.

Over the holidays, Connecticut leaned into its role as a Hallmark movie backdrop, launching a Christmas Movie Trail to highlight spots from movies filmed in the state.

This session is fundamentally different from last year’s

This session is a “long” one, as outlined by the state’s Constitution. In odd-numbered years, the governor’s office and state lawmakers must agree on a new two-year budget.

That means this year, Lamont must present his proposed state budget and bond package to lawmakers by Feb. 5. That sets off a month-long process to negotiate and finalize, which in the end requires a simple majority in both chambers, where Democrats hold a majority, along with the governor’s signature for approval.

The 2025 session will be nearly two months longer than the “short” session in even-numbered years, when lawmakers usually adjust the budget. Last year, things turned out a little differently when Lamont and other Democratic lawmakers assigned expiring American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars to help programs, rather than formally adjusting the budget.

Expect some debate on state’s fiscal guardrails

These constraints, first enacted in 2017, are a complex set of rules for how much lawmakers can spend. Connecticut has been able to pay down pension debt and has seen state budget surpluses under the guardrails, but there has also been considerable debate among some lawmakers about the need to change these policies. Advocates and lawmakers who want to see the guardrails loosened say they want to see more state money for health care, child care and education.

Lamont said he wanted to keep the guardrails during a December appearance on Connecticut Public’s “The Wheelhouse.” Some Republicans have also echoed a desire to keep the guardrails in place.

Top leaders are the same

Democrats still hold a comfortable majority in both state legislative chambers.

Ritter will return to lead the chamber alongside Majority Leader Jason Rojas. Candelora will return as House Minority Leader. Martin Looney and Bob Duff return as Senate Pro Tem and Majority Leader, respectively. And State Sen. Stephen Harding will return for his second year as Republican Minority Leader.

Bills, bills, bills

Over half a dozen of the nearly 30 committees have new House leaders. Legislative committees drive policy debate among lawmakers and engage the public on specific issues like education, health care and the environment. This year, there is a new committee on government oversight and a select committee on special education.

While many bills are proposed each year by lawmakers, comparatively few become law. That’s because there is a specific process for how most bills become a law, which the Connecticut General Assembly learning center explains. (Think: ”Schoolhouse Rock’s” “I’m Just a Bill” sans music).

There are also a number of different types of bills. Some come out of committees or are introduced by individual lawmakers or groups of lawmakers, or the governor. Among the many topics that will likely come up this session:

Ways to get involved

Committees will hold public hearings, where people can make their voices heard in a few ways. That can be through written testimony on the CGA website – or speaking at the public hearing, Public hearings are also often broadcast online.

There’s also a bill tracking system – that’s not just for reporters and stakeholders! Anyone can sign up to see how a bill is progressing.

Original article found at CT Public Radio.

January 13, 2025 in Community News

Price-gouging and grocery shrinkflation are on the 2025 menu

In the space of 13 days starting Wednesday, the Connecticut legislature will open its 2025 season and a U.S. president will take office after promising to lower food and energy prices. President-elect Donald Trump has already backed away from his bold vow to slash grocery bills, a centerpiece of his campaign. But lawmakers in Hartford, prodded by state Attorney General William Tong, are expected to take a stab at the issue in at least two bills.

The measures, still taking shape, would have limited effect at the cash registers. Still, they might be worth trying if they can navigate past a few sticky issues.

One likely bill is a repeat of a plan Tong has put forward at least twice since the pandemic, strengthening Connecticut’s price-gouging law. It would tighten the definition of “price-gouging” and, in its main event, it would allow Tong’s office to investigate not just retailers but also companies up the supply chain including manufacturers, packagers and distributors.

The second bill would go after “shrinkflation,” that annoying trend — useful for those of us trying to lose weight — in which grocery purveyors sell us packages with less product for the same or even higher prices.

Tong’s office declined to give details of its shrinkflation bill, which it hinted at last week in a year-end report. But according to the state’s most prominent lobbyist for the grocery industry, no other state has adopted a shrinkflation law.

That doesn’t mean Wayne Pesce, president of the Connecticut Food Association, will oppose Tong’s push. It depends what it says. Obviously, Tong isn’t going to pitch a law that tells companies how many peanuts and peppermints they can put in a package. And legislators would not pass such a plan if he pushed it.

Nor will the bill likely limit changes in packaging. I for one am glad yogurt comes in 5.3-ounce containers, down from 8 ounces in my youth.

“I think it’s going to be some type of labeling transparency,” Pesce speculated as we talked about it late Tuesday, the night before the start of the legislative session.

We of course already have most grocery items labeled by the package price and the price per pound, or ounce. Could Tong suggest labels announcing anytime a product shrinks it package size? One worry, Pesce said, is that manufacturers could be forced to label goods for Connecticut separately, which could raise cost.

We will just have to wait and see. For now, it’s clear that customers are pushing back, buying more house brands and punishing whole categories such as salty snacks, which could help our collective health.

The bill tightening up Connecticut’s price-gouging law, which applies to all sorts of products, would not, for now, change one fundamental reality: The law applies only in times of emergency or during a disaster.

A state emergency lasted more than two years during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, when accusations of price-gouging were rampant.

“Price gouging at the retail level has been illegal in our state since 1986. Unfortunately, certain select bad actors will take advantage in a crisis, like the pandemic, and charge amounts they would never be able to obtain under normal circumstances,” Tong told the legislature’s Judiciary Committee as it considered that year’s version of the bill in 2022. “The current law presumes that the only bad actors are retailers. In fact, the opposite is true.”

The measure made it through the state House in 2021 but never came to a vote in the Senate. In 2022, it stalled in the Judiciary Committee amid opposition from folks in the energy industry. In 2023, it was removed from a larger consumer bill.

In 2024, similar language was part of a bill proposed by Sen. Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, the Senate majority leader. Again, it did not pass.

You get the idea. These proposals have significant opposition for two reasons. The first is philosophical, largely from Republicans who tend to oppose meddling in markets.

The second is practical: In an era of global transactions with real-time pricing and complex supply chains — think airline fares, gasoline prices and hotel rates — regulating anything related to how much we consumers pay can be a logistical nightmare.

As one fuel oil dealer testifying against the gouging bill said in 2022, who’s going to say what is price gouging when suppliers change prices as often as three times a day?

The bill would only give Tong the right to investigate up the supply chain. Pesce, the food association president, isn’t against that idea, depending on the exact language.

“Any retailer or any seller of any good that takes advantage of consumers during times of hardship deserves whatever penalty is on the books,” he told me. “When we’re on the wrong side of consumers, we’re on the wrong side of an issue.”

As recently as last spring, Tong took action on complaints of price-gouging by grocery retailers, after a Federal Trade Commission report accused some national stores — most not operating in Connecticut — of unfair pricing. Lawmakers were still seeing dramatic price hikes, which, Duff said to me this week, “wasn’t just inflation.”

The attorney general demanded and received pricing information from grocers across the state. Since he took no public action, we can assume what he found was kosher, or at least, not the fault of retailers, just as he said in 2022.

“There was a lot of smoke and not a lot of fire in terms of that investigation,” Pesce, whose association represents companies throughout the supply chain, said.

“We support common sense legislation around price gouging, around shrinkflation.” But he added, “I don’t believe they have the bandwidth to really get to the crux of the problem.”

By that he means energy prices, labor shortages and transportation costs. That’s the problem with any government effort to control prices. It’s either ineffective window dressing or it dives into the impossibly swirling waters of the economy, where laws can have all sorts of unintended consequences and where megatrends, not meddling move, are what matter.

It’s a noble debate and it might lead to new ideas that work. Still, it’s a lot easier for the government to raise fees than to lower market prices.

Original article found at Stamford Advocate.

January 13, 2025 in CFA News

Geissler’s Supermarkets Adds AI Shopping Carts

Nick Nickitas, general manager of local independent grocery at Instacart, sat down for a conversation with Bob Rybick, president and CEO of Geissler’s Supermarket, to discuss the strategy behind Geissler’s decision to replace a majority of their shopping carts with AI-powered smart Caper Carts, making them one of the first retailers in the U.S. to launch a dense deployment of smart Caper Carts.

A conversation on Geissler’s strategy to launch smart carts in their stores:

Nickitas: Hi Bob! Thanks for sitting down with me to discuss Geissler’s vision, experience and expected outcomes of launching smart carts in your stores. I’d like to start at the beginning and ask what made you interested in smart shopping cart technology as a local independent grocer?

Rybick: As a multi-generational, independent grocer, we are focused on finding the best offerings and technology to help our customers, team members and business. With so many technological advancements now available for the grocery industry, we wanted to find something that could hit several of our strategic focuses, including:

  • Enhancing the in-store experience for our customers;
  • Assistance in loss prevention; and
  • Helping grow revenue.

So, when we began exploring solutions to address our three strategic focuses, smart shopping carts emerged as a perfect fit. After evaluating our options, Caper Carts stood out as the most comprehensive solution.

Nickitas: Let’s dive deeper into those three strategic focuses then. How are you projecting that smart shopping carts will enhance the in-store experience for your customers?

Rybick: At launch, smart shopping carts will reduce lines and congestion in the store, creating a more enjoyable shopping experience for customers. The cart’s screen helps customers track their running total in real-time, helping them stay on budget. The screen also offers a Deals Hub – with digital coupons, aisle locations and loyalty program login to ensure we’re giving our customers all of the benefits they expect. Customers can also checkout directly on the Caper Cart with an integrated payment terminal, ensuring a seamless process. Our customers expect us to continually offer them first class in-store shopping experience and we feel implementing Caper Carts will drastically help with that.

Nickitas: One of the biggest concerns that retailers have with self-checkout experiences are with shrink/loss prevention. How do you project smart carts helping with that?

Rybick: Caper has a number of built in features that make it plug-and-play for loss prevention assistance. All together, these carts collectively have more safeguards to prevent theft than traditional self-checkout. For example, with Caper Carts specifically, the cart doesn’t just scan an item’s barcode, it recognizes it with the built-in computer vision cameras, taking into account item attributes so customers don’t scan one item, but put a different item in their basket. Additionally, the Caper Cart has a scale built-in to the bottom of the cart basket, allowing for accurate measures of weighted items. Lastly, Caper Carts have an audit system that flags carts based on our audit preferences, which are then checked by a store employee, or when notable items are added to the cart.

Nickitas: And finally, I want to talk about ROI. Most grocers are wondering how to think about profitability with smart carts. Do you expect Caper to affect your revenue growth?

Rybick: Yes, in so many ways. The engaging customer experience of the smart cart has already proven to drive a larger basket size. In addition to that, our smart carts offer gamification features, such as a “spin the wheel” feature that unlocks Caper Cart-only coupons for instant dollars off a customer’s shop. Furthermore, the cart’s screen is a new surface for the future potential of serving relevant, personalized ads directly to our customers at the point of purchase. These ads would help generate a new revenue stream that can help offset the implementation cost of smart carts.

Nickitas: Now let’s pivot to the technical side of smart cart implementation. What were your questions coming into this initiative on how it would affect your current tech stack, store operations and ongoing maintenance?

Rybick: We had many questions about this, as we aimed to ensure a seamless launch of smart carts in our stores, especially with our want to replace a majority of our carts with smart carts. Our key questions included:

  • How difficult is it going to be to integrate smart carts into our catalog and POS systems?
  • Would there be any technical requirements or store modifications needed?
  • What does the ongoing maintenance look like for these products?

Nickitas: And what did you find to be the answers to those questions?

Rybick: The answers were a lot less cumbersome than one might think. It all came down to picking the right smart cart and the right company to partner with, for Geissler’s that was Instacart’s Caper Cart. With our chosen smart cart, integrating into our existing catalog to ensure all our SKUs would be recognized easily by the smart cart while customers are shopping was handled without issue. Our partner company integrates with all the leading POS systems in grocery, so that was also an easy check off.

Myself and the Geissler’s team were surprised at the minimal amount of technical requirements and store modifications needed to implement something as big and widely used as new shopping carts. Basically all we needed was an internet connection to get the smart carts connected and an area in the store for the carts to charge. Since regular shopping carts already have a bay, we were able to make that the charging area, as Caper Carts have the ability for nested charging. We do also have a smart cart checkout priority lane, which wasn’t a big deal to implement. We did add some in-store signage to help educate our customers on the smart carts, but the lift there was also minimal.

And lastly, for the ongoing maintenance, Instacart has remote management personnel and software for easily auditing each Caper Cart, as well as providing software updates as needed. For the physical cart maintenance, Instacart manages that ongoing, alleviating that potential stress from our teams.

Nickitas: I appreciate all you said and just have one more question. What would you tell other local, independent grocers who are considering smart cart technology for their stores?

Rybick: I think local, independent grocers have such an exciting opportunity to be the leaders in innovation in this space. The ability to be nimble and have an outsized impact on their business with new technology shouldn’t be dismissed and just because a solution or product uses AI doesn’t mean it’s out of reach for our peers. I’d tell other local, independent grocers who are considering smart cart technology for their stores that the benefits of incorporating smart carts into their short- and long-term business strategies are too great to ignore. From the customer impact, store impact and revenue opportunities through increased basket sizes and retail media network/advertising, paired with the lower than expected lift to actually launch smart carts in store, it seems to me a no brainer that smart carts should be on all local, independent grocers’ strategic radar with a push on sooner rather than later.

Original article found at The Shelby Report.

January 13, 2025 in Member News

New Year, New Laws: 5 Laws Changing in CT

With a new year beginning, there are a handful of state laws changing things up in Connecticut.

New laws in effect on Jan. 1 tackle labor issues, including phasing-in mandatory paid sick days to more people. There’s also a new law going into effect surrounding elections, including absentee ballot security. And, greater protections are going into effect for home health care workers, along with changes to the state’s minimum wage. Here’s more on some of the new policies going into effect in January 2025. 

(more…)

January 13, 2025 in Legislative News

How Geissler’s Supermarkets Added Shopping Carts With AI

Nick Nickitas, general manager of local independent grocery at Instacart, sat down for a conversation with Bob Rybick, president and CEO of Geissler’s Supermarket, to discuss the strategy behind Geissler’s decision to replace a majority of their shopping carts with AI-powered smart Caper Carts, making them one of the first retailers in the U.S. to launch a dense deployment of smart Caper Carts. A conversation on Geissler’s strategy to launch smart carts in their stores:

Nickitas: Hi Bob! Thanks for sitting down with me to discuss Geissler’s vision, experience and expected outcomes of launching smart carts in your stores. I’d like to start at the beginning and ask what made you interested in smart shopping cart technology as a local independent grocer?

Rybick: As a multi-generational, independent grocer, we are focused on finding the best offerings and technology to help our customers, team members and business. With so many technological advancements now available for the grocery industry, we wanted to find something that could hit several of our strategic focuses, including:

  • Enhancing the in-store experience for our customers;
  • Assistance in loss prevention; and
  • Helping grow revenue.

So, when we began exploring solutions to address our three strategic focuses, smart shopping carts emerged as a perfect fit. After evaluating our options, Caper Carts stood out as the most comprehensive solution.

Nickitas: Let’s dive deeper into those three strategic focuses then. How are you projecting that smart shopping carts will enhance the in-store experience for your customers?

Rybick: At launch, smart shopping carts will reduce lines and congestion in the store, creating a more enjoyable shopping experience for customers. The cart’s screen helps customers track their running total in real-time, helping them stay on budget. The screen also offers a Deals Hub – with digital coupons, aisle locations and loyalty program login to ensure we’re giving our customers all of the benefits they expect. Customers can also checkout directly on the Caper Cart with an integrated payment terminal, ensuring a seamless process. Our customers expect us to continually offer them first class in-store shopping experience and we feel implementing Caper Carts will drastically help with that.

Nickitas: One of the biggest concerns that retailers have with self-checkout experiences are with shrink/loss prevention. How do you project smart carts helping with that?

Rybick: Caper has a number of built in features that make it plug-and-play for loss prevention assistance. All together, these carts collectively have more safeguards to prevent theft than traditional self-checkout. For example, with Caper Carts specifically, the cart doesn’t just scan an item’s barcode, it recognizes it with the built-in computer vision cameras, taking into account item attributes so customers don’t scan one item, but put a different item in their basket. Additionally, the Caper Cart has a scale built-in to the bottom of the cart basket, allowing for accurate measures of weighted items. Lastly, Caper Carts have an audit system that flags carts based on our audit preferences, which are then checked by a store employee, or when notable items are added to the cart.

Nickitas: And finally, I want to talk about ROI. Most grocers are wondering how to think about profitability with smart carts. Do you expect Caper to affect your revenue growth?

Rybick: Yes, in so many ways. The engaging customer experience of the smart cart has already proven to drive a larger basket size. In addition to that, our smart carts offer gamification features, such as a “spin the wheel” feature that unlocks Caper Cart-only coupons for instant dollars off a customer’s shop. Furthermore, the cart’s screen is a new surface for the future potential of serving relevant, personalized ads directly to our customers at the point of purchase. These ads would help generate a new revenue stream that can help offset the implementation cost of smart carts.

Nickitas: Now let’s pivot to the technical side of smart cart implementation. What were your questions coming into this initiative on how it would affect your current tech stack, store operations and ongoing maintenance?

Rybick: We had many questions about this, as we aimed to ensure a seamless launch of smart carts in our stores, especially with our want to replace a majority of our carts with smart carts. Our key questions included:

  • How difficult is it going to be to integrate smart carts into our catalog and POS systems?
  • Would there be any technical requirements or store modifications needed?
  • What does the ongoing maintenance look like for these products?

Nickitas: And what did you find to be the answers to those questions?

Rybick: The answers were a lot less cumbersome than one might think. It all came down to picking the right smart cart and the right company to partner with, for Geissler’s that was Instacart’s Caper Cart. With our chosen smart cart, integrating into our existing catalog to ensure all our SKUs would be recognized easily by the smart cart while customers are shopping was handled without issue. Our partner company integrates with all the leading POS systems in grocery, so that was also an easy check off.

Myself and the Geissler’s team were surprised at the minimal amount of technical requirements and store modifications needed to implement something as big and widely used as new shopping carts. Basically all we needed was an internet connection to get the smart carts connected and an area in the store for the carts to charge. Since regular shopping carts already have a bay, we were able to make that the charging area, as Caper Carts have the ability for nested charging. We do also have a smart cart checkout priority lane, which wasn’t a big deal to implement. We did add some in-store signage to help educate our customers on the smart carts, but the lift there was also minimal.

And lastly, for the ongoing maintenance, Instacart has remote management personnel and software for easily auditing each Caper Cart, as well as providing software updates as needed. For the physical cart maintenance, Instacart manages that ongoing, alleviating that potential stress from our teams.

Nickitas: I appreciate all you said and just have one more question. What would you tell other local, independent grocers who are considering smart cart technology for their stores?

Rybick: I think local, independent grocers have such an exciting opportunity to be the leaders in innovation in this space. The ability to be nimble and have an outsized impact on their business with new technology shouldn’t be dismissed and just because a solution or product uses AI doesn’t mean it’s out of reach for our peers. I’d tell other local, independent grocers who are considering smart cart technology for their stores that the benefits of incorporating smart carts into their short- and long-term business strategies are too great to ignore. From the customer impact, store impact and revenue opportunities through increased basket sizes and retail media network/advertising, paired with the lower than expected lift to actually launch smart carts in store, it seems to me a no brainer that smart carts should be on all local, independent grocers’ strategic radar with a push on sooner rather than later.

Original article found at The Shelby Report.

October 17, 2024 in Member News

Navigating The Inflationary Tide: How Connecticut Food Retailers Adapt in Political Headwinds

Amid an unrivaled inflationary environment that has sparked debate at both federal and state levels, Connecticut grocers have come under unwarranted scrutiny from the state’s Senate Democratic leadership and attorney general following a relatively uneventful 2024 legislative session. With pressure mounting from national polls, some elected officials are scrambling to address the root causes of inflation, aiming to alleviate consumer angst over higher food costs attributed to government policies. However, their investigation is focused solely on the state’s food retailers and has warranted industry indignation regarding the broader context of inflation and the efficacy of government intervention to mitigate rising food prices.

During the pandemic, surge buying, labor shortages, production facility closures, and supply chain disruptions collectively contributed to increased costs across multiple economic sectors. In response, the federal government implemented substantial stimulus measures aimed at bolstering the economy by injecting almost six trillion dollars into the U.S. market. From my perspective, although not that of an economist, paying people to stay home and artificially inflating incomes invariably leads to inflation. Despite these factors, some political leaders seem inclined to scapegoat food retailers rather than address the underlying causes of runaway inflation.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong’s current investigation into “potential” grocery store price gouging exemplifies this misguided government focus. Following an April Federal Trade Commission (FTC) report that found grocery store prices remained elevated even as the pandemic ended and inflation cooled, Tong announced his office would investigate whether grocery stores in Connecticut have been engaging in price gouging. The FTC’s report examined national grocery chains like Walmart, Kroger, and Amazon and found that revenues and profits continued to rise after the pandemic disruptions, casting doubt on assertions that rising grocery store prices merely reflect retailers’ rising costs.

Seizing on the FTC report and White House talking points, Senate Majority Leaders Martin Looney and Bob Duff, along with several Senate Democrats, supported the Connecticut AG’s inquiry, citing the FTC’s findings that grocery prices “might be” artificially high due to corporate opportunism. Many local observers quickly pointed out that this approach is fundamentally flawed in its belief that food prices begin and end at the checkout register. The Connecticut Food Association along with multiple news editorials around the state pushed back, emphasizing that inflation is a multifaceted problem influenced by global supply chains, energy costs, and international economic policies and that the rise in food prices is no higher than increases in the restaurant, entertainment, healthcare, automotive, home improvement, insurance, and banking sectors. Bottom line: inflation has affected the cost of everything consumers purchase.

Elected officials are ignoring broader economic factors by focusing narrowly on local retailers while unfairly blaming local and regional businesses. This not only fails to address the root causes of inflation but also risks damaging the reputation of food retailers who are themselves struggling with increased costs. Yet some political leaders in D.C. and Connecticut are fixated on grocery stores, using them as convenient targets for political gain rather than addressing the macroeconomic issues that drive food prices. Ultimately, the current scrutiny of Connecticut’s grocers appears to be more of a political maneuver than a genuine effort to tackle inflation. I’m curious to see how interested these same political opportunists are after state and national elections in November.

Original article found at Food Trade News.

July 30, 2024 in CFA News

National Grocers Association Applauds Congressional Action to Protect Grocers and SNAP Participants

Washington, D.C. –  The National Grocers Association (NGA) today applauds members of Congress forsafeguarding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the FY 2025 agriculture appropriations bill by removing a provision that would have led to widespread disruptions and undermined SNAP’s effectiveness.

A proposal dropped from the final bill would have created a five-state pilot to significantly limit the types of foods covered under SNAP, forcing grocers to examine hundreds of thousands of food items to determine which qualify and which don’t. The proposed pilot program would have allowed five state governments to pick winners and losers in the grocery sector, harming the 42 million SNAP participants who have diverse nutritional needs.

“Fortunately, members of Congress realized that a proposal that looked simple on paper would have created confusion for program participants and resulted in a costly bureaucratic nightmare for small businesses around this country,” said Stephanie Johnson, RDN, NGA vice president of government relations. “The strength of SNAP lies in its efficient and flexible design. We are proud to support the continuation of an effective and impactful program for families and local economies.”

The successful amendment, offered by Congressman Sanford Bishop, removed a pilot project that would have restricted SNAP purchases  of “non-nutritious food or beverage items” in five states, a potentially disastrous policy that would have turned grocers into the food police. Members Bishop, DeLauro, Espaillat, and Watson-Coleman spoke in favor of keeping SNAP Choice, the current policy providing participants the freedom to purchase what is right for their families. The amendment passed via voice vote after a robust lobbying effort from NGA.

NGA is also pleased to see that the Senate passed an agriculture appropriations bill without any new restrictions on SNAP purchases.

This victory follows NGA’s commitment to making SNAP choice a key issue during our Fly-In for Fair Competition. Credit also goes to the NGA Grocery Guard, who, at a moment’s notice, reached out to House Appropriators urging support for the amendment.

Original article found at National Grocers Association.

July 29, 2024 in Community News

Big Y Opens New Market In Middletown, CT

Big Y has opened a new market at 850 S. Main St. in Middletown, Connecticut, the second of three new locations coming to the state this year.

The Middletown Big Y market offers an on-site bakery with hand-decorated cakes and specialty baked goods, such as signature snowflake rolls, along with full-service butcher and seafood departments with six deliveries of fresh, sustainable seafood every week.

The kitchen and deli feature ready-to-heat, -eat or -cook Big Y Quick, Easy Meals including hand-tossed pizza available by the slice or whole pie, freshly made sushi, made-to-order subs and paninis with Boar’s Head Premium meats and cheeses. A selection of Boar’s Head products are also available sliced or pre-packaged in the deli.

It has a wide assortment of products and specialty items from local partners, including Arethusa Farm old-fashioned-style ice cream and specialty cheeses, Bear’s seasoned wings, Liuzzi Italian specialties, Hummel Bros. frankfurters and quality meat products and Lamberti sausage, Deep River chips, Lyman Orchards apples and pies, Gina Marie Bakery traditional Italian products and Chabaso Bakery artisan breads.

“All of us at Big Y are very excited to serve and be a part of the Middletown community with our unique fresh and local offerings, trained experts and state of the art facility,” said Michael P. D’Amour, president and CEO of Big Y. “We are proud of our exceptional and knowledgeable employees who are poised and ready to provide our Middletown customers with a remarkable and personalized shopping experience.”

The company broke ground on the project in April 2023. The building offers new green features like eco-friendly equipment, including energy-efficient refrigerated cases, a full- store generator and electric vehicle charging stations in the parking lot. This and other recent store designs are part of the company’s broader strategy to modernize its retail spaces for customers and employees.

Grand opening festivities begin on July 11 and will include giveaways, offers and sample tastings. New myBigY members will receive 500 myBigY Rewards points for signing up. Discounts are available every day for myBigY members using their membership, based upon their grocery purchases.

This is the second market to open in the state this year. The Brookfield, Connecticut, location opened its doors in May. New locations are also underway in Westport, Connecticut, and Uxbridge, Massachusetts. These locations will bring Big Y’s number of supermarkets to 77.

Original article found at The Shelby Report.

July 29, 2024 in Member News

Cingari Family Markets To Unveil New Identity, 2 Remodeled Stores

Cingari Family ShopRite, which owns and operates 12 ShopRite locations in Connecticut, is introducing a new “Cingari Family Markets” identity and a range of new, branded products.

Additionally, Cingari Family Markets will open two remodeled stores on June 17-18 – the ShopRite of Commerce Street and Grade A Market on Newfield Avenue in Stamford, Connecticut.

The ShopRite of Commerce Street, located at 1990 W Main St., will reopen on June 17 at a ribbon cutting ceremony at 9 a.m. with Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons and members of the chamber of commerce. The community celebration will include family activities, a balloon artist, cupcake decorating and food samplings.

The supermarket has an upgraded, sleek exterior facade, modern interior décor and transformed produce, meat, seafood and bakery departments. The store also will feature “The Grill,” a new dine-in and take-out experience, a dedicated cheese monger, full-service butcher, expanded take-and-bake seafood options and a beer and craft brew center.

“We are thrilled to open the doors to a brand new shopping destination,” said Tom Cingari Sr., president and CEO of Cingari Family Markets. “The renovations have allowed us to create an unmatched experience with incredible service, quality and convenience for our customers.”

The Cingari family also will celebrate the opening of its renovated Grade A Market store at 9 a.m. on June 18 at 563 Newfield Ave. in Stamford. A Boars Head food truck will be on-site on grand reopening day to serve hot dogs and other samples to customers.

The store refresh brings updated décor and enhancements to the produce, seafood, floral and meat departments, as well as sustainable refrigerators and freezers throughout the store.

“The Newfield Avenue store has been an area staple for decades,” Cingari said. “These upgrades will allow us to continue providing the outstanding service and convenience customers expect, now within a completely modernized shopping environment.”

In addition to the remodeled stores, the grocer has also launched a range of gourmet prepared foods and products marketed under the Cingari Family Markets brand, including:

  • Ready-to-eat, restaurant-quality prepared meals;
  • Fresh-cut, pre-packaged produce;
  • Read to cook, marinated and seasoned premium meats;
  • Italian-imported organic extra virgin olive oil;
  • Italian-imported organic balsamic vinegar;
  • Jarred marinara sauce;
  • Jarred vodka sauce;
  • Organic coffees; and
  • Locally-brewed beers.

The chef-created line reflects the Cingari family’s Italian heritage and its decades-long commitment to quality and excellence. It also features a newly designed Cingari Family Markets’ logo inspired by the family business’ origin.

“The Cingari Family Markets products pay homage to our family’s history, and the new logos are inspired by the original design, materials and colors my grandfather used for the very first store, while embracing a modern aesthetic,” Cingari said.

“Everything we do is built on the expertise and heritage of our family, now spanning four generations. As new Cingari generations come in, we modernize our approach to meet the needs of our customers while staying true to our core values.”

Family-owned and operated for more than 90 years, Cingari Family Markets owns 10 ShopRite stores and two Grade A Market supermarkets across southwestern Connecticut.

Original article found at The Shelby Report.

June 30, 2024 in Member News