Consumer issues: April 2009 Archives

The battle between York County's two monolithic supermarket chains, Weis Markets and Giant Food Stores, rages on.

Weis lobbed another grenade this week when it announced that customers of its Springettsbury Township store could shop for groceries online.

It's the first Weis in York County to utilize online shopping. One of the company's Allentown locations also offers it, said Cindy Tipa, a Weis district customer service specialist.

Giant's Camp Hill and Willow Grove locations offer online shopping, according to the company's Web site.

Both companies are also heavily advertising other promotions.

Giant is pumping up its produce freshness guarantee, promising customers double their money back if they find their produce to be lacking freshness.

Weis, meanwhile, has renewed its "price freeze" program, promising to freeze the prices of 3,000 products between April 16 and July 15.

As a kid in the 1970s and growing up in rural Pa., we never bought our milk at a grocery store. This milkman story, definitely resonates with me.

We didn't have a milkman deliver our milk. Instead, I would go on small trips with my mom to a local dairy farm. We would re-use our glass, one-gallon milk jars and fill up at the farm.

Some people stand by the patriotic philosophy that the next time you're in the market for a new car, you should go domestic rather than foreign.

My take on the matter is that you already own a new car manufactured by General Motors or Chrysler.

Now, you can't wax this new car, show it off to your neighbors or take it for long, leisurely Sunday drives. But, rest assured, you do own a new car.

Not sure what I mean? I'll explain.