STORES GOBBLE UP SALES WITH THANKSGIVING PROMOTIONS

AMITY K. MOORE

Unique and varied promotions tied to Center Store are helping retailers gobble up incremental sales this Thanksgiving season.

Along with in-store promotions, chains are using their direct-mail circulars to raise awareness of temporary price reductions, seasonal gift baskets and in-store coupons.

For example, A&P, Montvale, N.J., dedicated a full page of its circular to products shoppers traditionally buy at holiday time. The ad read, "Save Throughout the Holiday Season With A&P. A&P has reduced prices on all your favorite holiday items right through to the end of the year. So let A&P help you save more ways and make this holiday season the best ever!"

Some of the products listed in the ad included America's Choice cranberry sauce, a 16-ounce can for 79 cents; Jack Frost sugar, 59 cents per 16-ounce package; and a 12-ounce package of Pet Ritz Deep Dish pie shells for $1.99. Prices are effective through Dec. 28.

Central Islip, N.Y.- based Waldbaum's, a division of A&P, also touted savings on holiday products in its circular. "Waldbaum's carries everything you need to set a festive holiday table," the copy read.

Features included two 32-ounce cans of Borden egg nog for $5, Knorr turkey gravy for $1.39 and a 4.4-ounce box of Carr's cookies for $2.39.

Randalls Food Markets, Houston, is taking price reductions one step further. Coupons for products in Center Store contribute to the chain's Turkeybucks promotion, which enables shoppers to get a free turkey -- fresh or frozen.

For every $30 customers spend per visit, they get one Turkeybuck. Ten Turkeybucks can be used to purchase a 10-pound Randalls Grade A frozen turkey. The promotion began last week and runs through Thanksgiving.

As part of that campaign, Randalls is running Turkeybuck coupons in its circular, said Desiree Beyer, marketing services manager for the chain.

Checkout coupons at King Kullen Grocery Co. are helping shoppers save on their Thanksgiving dinners from the Westbury, N.Y.-based chain.

For instance, consumers purchasing any three Keebler Ready Crust pie crusts receive a checkout coupon for $1 off their holiday dinner. Shoppers could save over $55 with the coupons publicized in a direct-mail circular.

In addition to running price reductions and coupons, grocers are attracting sales by packaging gift baskets. Waldbaum's and Edwards Super Food Stores, Windsor Locks, Conn., are offering several varieties of ready-made holiday baskets.

Edwards has four styles available -- Italian Holiday basket, Holiday Sleigh basket, Picnic basket and Family Holiday basket. They range in price from $19.99 to $34.99.

All four varieties are filled with products from the chain's Sensational private-label line.