5 things: To donate or discount? That is the question

Donate or discount? Grocery store operators across the country must constantly track the quality of their inventory and keep a close eye on the appearance of their perishable inventory. Does it make more sense to sell ripe bananas at a discount or donate them to a food bank that the retailer can write off on their taxes? A new analysis by John Lowrey, assistant professor of Supply Chain and Health Sciences at Northeastern University, suggests that the preemptive removal of products that might reflect poorly on the store, such as ripe bananas, could be better for the bottom line. “Stores that donated food, instead of discounting it, may have made better use of the limited room to display fresher inventory. My research team found that food donations can increase average food prices by up to 1%, which corresponds to a 33% increase in profit margins,” Lowrey wrote in a recent column in Salon, which concludes that donating food to local food banks is a win-win for grocers and those experiencing food insecurity. —Tim Inklebarger  

The barcode turns 50: On June 26, 1974, a supermarket cashier in Troy, Ohio, made history by scanning a barcode on a ten-pack of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit chewing gum with a Magellan Model A scanner. Developed by Spectra Physics, now part of the Italian multinational Datalogic, this moment introduced the world to the first fixed retail scanner, some 50 years ago. We take it for granted now, but the ability to automatically identify products at checkout marked the beginning of something totally new, revolutionizing retail. Fifty years later, we now also have the perhaps equally revolutionary tech of speedy online checkout. But in-store is here to stay and for that, we salute you barcode. —Chloe Riley

Khan on 60 Minutes: Antitrust firebrand Lina Khan, who heads the Federal Trade Commission, is gaining recognition beyond the courtroom and the corporations she’s challenged, appearing on 60 Minutes this week, where she discussed not only the FTC’s opposition to the Kroger, Albertsons merger, but also her general opposition to corporate consolidation. In an interview with Lesley Stahl, Khan acknowledged that grocery price inflation was driven by the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, but added that “even as some of those supply chain pressures have eased, prices have not come down concurrently as much.” Efficiencies of scale in mergers could lead to price reductions, “but a narrower field of competition could result in cost savings going into the pocket of businesses because those consumers may not have anywhere else to go,” she said. The segment notes that while the controversial FTC chair is persona non grata with corporate titans — under her watch the FTC has sued Ticketmaster, Nvidia, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, Apple, Google, and more — she has the support from an unlikely caucus — MAGA Republicans who are also critical of Silicon Valley billionaires, earning them the nickname Khanservatives. —TI

Popular groceries: Perhaps shockingly in America, the most popular groceries bought by Americans in the year so far through June were fruits and vegetables, according to data from Statista. Despite that, the most popular meal choice over that same time period was still a good old fashioned hamburger and French fries. Perhaps suggesting to grocers that there’s still hunger for healthy foods, as well as salty, standard American fare. Both are going strong in the minds and stomachs of consumers. —CR

And even more popular candy: Curious as to which Halloween candy is most popular by state? Instacart can help you out with that. The grocery delivery company has compiled a map highlighting popular candies by region. The midwest loves its M&M’s (although I’m historically more of a Snickers girl myself), the south is very into its traditional candies like starburst and skittles, and Wyoming sticks out like a sore thumb with its dedication to Hershey’s milk chocolate amidst a very solid western loyalty to Peanut M&M’s. Oh people and their inexplicable sweet tooths! Teeths?! —CR