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Supermarket targets other’s prices
Price Chopper brushes off major Hannaford advertising campaign
BY AMEERAH CETAWAYO Gazette Reporter

    Hannaford has launched one of its most extensive price comparison campaigns in recent memory, advertising across multiple channels as the ever more competitive grocery industry clamors for consumer loyalty.
    Since October, the Scarborough, Maine-based food retailer has focused predatory advertising on Price Chopper, with in-store basket-to-basket comparisons, radio announcements, newspaper advertisements and other forms of convincing customers that Hannaford prices are lower.
    Sometimes the best way to help consumers understand what you have to offer in terms of price is to make a comparison, according to Hannaford spokesman Michael Norton.
    “Price is always No. 1. The economy doesn’t fundamentally change that. It definitely requires that you not be misunderstood in any way about what your prices are and what you have to offer,” Norton said.
    The last campaign of direct comparisons to Price Chopper was around three or four years ago, he said.
    “The number of items, the number of months are probably a little bit more in this instance,” Norton said. “It’s a major campaign, no question about that.”
    But Price Chopper says despite such efforts, market share for the Rotterdam-based supermarket chain has risen to an all-time high. Leaders say every day more than 10,000 shoppers redeem points related to its Fuel AdvantEdge Card launched locally in June 2009.
    “It’s flattering to us for our competition to rely on those type of price comparisons because they can’t compete on so many other levels,” said spokeswoman Mona Golub.
    “We do price checking on a daily if not weekly basis and we remain highly competitive,” Golub said.
    Competitors like Hannaford and Wal-Mart use the everyday low price model, which assigns goods a day-to-day, week-to-week median price that doesn’t change much over time.
    Price Chopper, on the other hand, is a promotional pricer, offering thousands of specials each week that motivate consumers to purchase items, Golub said. .................>>>>......................>>>>............http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00103&AppName=1