Almost a decade ago, California became the first state in the United States to ban single-use plastic bags in an effort to tackle an intractable plastic waste problem. Then came the reusable, heavy-duty plastic bags, offered to shoppers for ten cents. Designed to withstand dozens of uses, and technically recyclable, many retailers treated them as […]
Read MoreTag: Supermarkets and Grocery Stores
Biden Takes Aim at Grocery Chains Over Food Prices
President Biden, whose approval rating has suffered amid high inflation, is beginning to pressure large grocery chains to slash food prices for American consumers, accusing the stores of reaping excess profits and ripping off shoppers. “There are still too many corporations in America ripping people off: price gouging, junk fees, greedflation, shrinkflation,” Mr. Biden said […]
Read MoreSqueezed by Soaring Rent, Small Shops Get Creative
Last March, Emily Schildt opened Pop Up Grocer on a Bleecker Street corner in the West Village, selling artfully packaged condiments, beverages and other products made by small, emerging brands in a pay-to-play business model. Customers can buy artisanal hot sauces or zucchini chips from brands like Peepal People and Van Van that pay a […]
Read MoreAs Americans Buy Less Beer, Breweries, Bars and Supermarkets Scale Back
More than a decade ago, when Ryan Guererri was in his early 20s, he became obsessed with craft beer. As breweries rolled out a nonstop roster of new products, he bought hundreds of different beers, from bitter I.P.A.s to strong Belgian ales. “It was exciting trying everything,” said Mr. Guererri, who is now 35 and […]
Read MoreCarrefour Drops PepsiCo Products in France Over High Prices
The economic headlines in Europe have been glowing recently: Inflation, according to official statistics, is finally coming down. But tell that to consumers still facing runaway prices when they head to the supermarket. On Thursday, France’s biggest food retailer took a drastic step to confront the situation, announcing that it would no longer sell PepsiCo […]
Read MoreHow Lags in Statistics Skew the Inflation Picture
If you’re a normal human being trying to read recent economic news, especially about inflation, you may be feeling confused right now. You may have seen reports that consumer prices are up 3.1 percent over the past year, which sounds bad; “core” inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, was 4 percent, which sounds […]
Read MorePrices for Some Goods Are Actually Falling This Holiday Season
American shoppers, burned by more than two years of rapid inflation, are getting some welcome relief this holiday season: Prices on many products are falling. Toys are almost 3 percent cheaper this Christmas than last, government data shows. Sports equipment is down nearly 2 percent. Bigger-ticket items are also showing price declines: Washing machines cost […]
Read MoreThe Restaurant Industry Is Undergoing a Badly Needed Revolution
Like so many other chefs, I was drawn to the restaurant business because it is exciting. I ignored its dysfunction and accepted that I’d forgo higher education, financial stability and holidays with family in order to share my craft with others. All it took was a pandemic, an enormous wave of inflation and an impossibly […]
Read MoreWhat to Know About the 4 Food Additives Banned by California
California has banned four common food additives — Red Dye No. 3, potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil and propylparaben — through the California Food Safety Act. The law will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2027, which offers “significant time for brands to revise their recipes to avoid these harmful chemicals,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said […]
Read MoreInstacart Soars 40% as It Begins Trading, an Encouraging Sign for Tech I.P.O.s
Initial public offerings are back, warts and all. After a two-year dearth of new listings, shares of the grocery delivery company Instacart opened for trading on Tuesday at $42, up 40 percent from their initial public offering price of $30. The performance signaled that investors are eager to take a chance on young tech companies […]
Read MoreInstacart Was All About Grocery Delivery. No Longer.
When Fidji Simo took over as chief executive of Instacart in 2021, the grocery delivery start-up’s growth was cratering as its pandemic boom ebbed. The board of directors asked her to find new ways for the company to earn money. Ms. Simo, a former executive at Meta with experience in advertising, played to her strengths. […]
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