PUBLIX, RAYLEY'S TOP CONSUMER SURVEY

YONKERS, N.Y. -- Publix Super Markets, Lakeland, Fla., and Raley's Supermarkets, West Sacramento, Calif., were rated the nation's best chains in terms of overall shopping experience by readers of Consumer Reports, according to the magazine's August issue. The magazine here said both chains achieved scores of 83 points, followed closely by Harris Teeter, Charlotte, N.C., with 81 points, as the best places to shop based on cleanliness, courtesy, checkouts and pricing.

offers fast, courteous service, especially at the checkout.

"In contrast, the chains that rated best for prices -- Giant Food, Landover, Md.; H.E. Butt Grocery Co., San Antonio; Meijer Inc., Grand Rapids, Mich.; ShopRite Supermarkets, Elizabeth, N.J.; and Wal-Mart Supercenters, Bentonville, Ark. -- were "at best middling for cleanliness, checkout speed and unimpeded aisles."

At the bottom of the list of 35 chains were A&P, Montvale, N.J., and Grand Union Co., Wayne, N.J., tied with 64 points. Acme Markets, Malvern, Pa. (a division of American Stores Co., Salt Lake City) and Pathmark Stores, Woodbridge, N.J., tied at 67.

Consumer Reports noted that those four chains all operate in the Northeast "[but] their low scores aren't the result of shoppers in those areas being more demanding; chains with stores in the Northeast and elsewhere showed little or no difference in score by region."

Describing ways consumers can cut their grocery bills, the magazine made the following observations:

Regarding coupons, some manufacturers, like Procter & Gamble, Cincinnati, are moving away from coupons in favor of reduced prices.

"A recent P&G experiment in upstate New York suggests that stores are inclined to pass such savings along to consumers," the magazine noted. "During a 14-month period in which [P&G] reduced list prices and eliminated all coupons, shoppers in the region paid about the same for P&G products as they had in the coupon-filled years that preceded the trial."

Regarding home-meal replacement, the magazine said 40% of its readers who bought prepared meals at the supermarket said they did so "because it was cheaper than getting takeout food from a restaurant. Convenience was the main attraction; only one-fourth of our readers bought the meals for quality and taste.

"And the decision was often an impulse; nearly two-thirds of prepared-food purchasers said they usually decide to buy a meal after arriving in the store."

Regarding scanner accuracy, the magazine noted that a recent national study found fairly low rates of scanner error "and it found that when the scanner does err, customers are a little more likely to be charged less than they should be, not more.

"Our readers, however, reported a higher and less favorable error rate. More than half of them who paid attention to the scanner said they noted at least occasional discrepancies ...[usually] in the store's favor. "Readers also found Meijer and A&P to be slightly worse than average for pricing errors and Giant Food to be slightly better than average."

An A&P spokesman told SN last week the magazine's findings on scanning errors "don't square with our research. What Consumer Reports is talking about is readership opinions, not research."

Representatives of Meijer's could not be reached for comment.

Regarding where people shop, Consumer Reports said 85% of shoppers in its survey indicated they like to shop in a traditional supermarket, rather than a supercenter. It also said they found shopping at any one of the three major warehouse clubs -- Sam's, Costco Wholesale and BJ's -- "to be about as satisfactory as an average supermarket or supercenter."