Weis Gets Aggressive on Private Label Pricing

Weis Markets has lowered prices on about 7,000 private label products with the intention of reaching the lowest everyday price for those items and better competing in a price-driven consumer market.

Officials from the Sunbury, Pa.-based retailer called the new Low, Low Price program its “most ambitious price reduction program to date,” and a key element of a value proposition tested by an increasingly competitive marketplace, including discounters and mass merchants such as Walmart also investing in prices.

The new pricing went into effect Jan. 17 after all Weis stores closed early on Jan. 16 to update new signage and price tags overnight.

“We understand saving money has never been more important for our customers,” said Richard Gunn, Weis Markets' SVP of merchandising and marketing. “That’s why we are making a multimillion-dollar investment to provide the lowest price in the market on more than 7,000 everyday products.”

A sales flyer showing prices at Weis store in New Jersey this week indicated the new program includes some prices attainable by buying multiple items. For example, 16-ounce jars of Weis peanut butter were priced 97 cents when shoppers buy two or more, but $1.49 in lesser quantities.

New discounts have also been applied on items such as quartered butter (two for $4 when buying two); 5-ounce clamshell salads ($2.99); rotisserie chickens ($4.88 each when buying two); and 20-ounce organic ketchup ($1.97).