Shoppers were on the prowl for the best grocery deals during the 52 weeks ending June 13, 2010. Many were willing to drive all over town to find them.
One of the most promotional segments was salty snacks. Though the No. 3 category by volume was deemed nonessential by penny-pinchers who cut back spending on such foods, promotions made purchases worthwhile, boosting both dollar and unit sales 3.7%.
In some cases marketers' promotional strategies failed to boost sales past previous levels. Unit sales of heavily promoted carbonated soft drinks, ice cream/sherbet and bottled water remained flat.
Other categories saw growth as consumers ate and entertained at home. Frozen prepared vegetables' unit sales climbed 10.8%; frozen pizza's were up 5.6%; wine, 3.3%; coffee, 2.4%; and bread, 2%.
KEY CATEGORIES
| DOLLAR SALES | % CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR | PAGE | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carbonated Beverages | $11.9B | -1.1 | 68 |
| Fresh Bread & Rolls | $9.5B | -0.7 | 68 |
| Salty Snacks | $8.4B | 3.7 | 68 |
| Beer/Ale/Alcoholic Cider | $8.3B | 1.3 | 70 |
| Cold Cereal | $6.0B | -1.4 | 70 |
| Frozen Dinners/Entrees | $5.9B | -4.2 | 70 |
| Wine | $5.7B | 3.6 | 72 |
| Cigarettes | $4.8B | 3.8 | 72 |
| Ice Cream/Sherbet | $4.1B | -3.9 | 72 |
| Bottled Water | $3.9B | -3.7 | 74 |
| Soup | $3.9B | -3.6 | 74 |
| Crackers | $3.8B | 1.3 | 76 |
| Cookies | $3.7B | 0.6 | 77 |
| Bottled Juice | $3.5B | -3.6 | 78 |
| Coffee | $3.2B | 2.6 | 78 |
| Dog Food | $3.1B | 3.0 | 79 |
| Frozen Pizza | $3.1B | 4.4 | 79 |
| Toilet Tissue | $3.0B | -1.0 | 80 |
| Chocolate Candy | $2.9B | 5.8 | 80 |
| Frozen Prepared Vegetables | $256.3M | 9.5 | 80 |
