ECON Report food and grocery price increases/shortages here: 2021 Edition

[Digger]

Martinhouse, that was Price Milling in Russellville. The guy on the dock said all the feed seemed to be increasing in price. Some feed faster than others. So far they have not had any problems getting anything though.

 

[coloradohermit]

I've been on a tossed salad binge so I made a quick run to the local Kroger for tomatoes and a cucumber. There were NO cucumbers. So I ran down to Safeway and they had cucumbers stacked 10 deep. Weird.

 

[Roadgeek]

How Costco Is Masking A 14% Price Jump With Shrinkflation

The oldest trick in the retailer book is back.

We have previously written about shrinkflation – the “creative” masking of higher prices whereby retailers sell a materially lower amount of products for the ‘same’ price, covering up what is often a significant price increase on a “per unit” basis (see “”Shrinkflation” – How Food Companies Implement Massive Price Hikes Without You Ever Noticing“, “Shrinkflation Hits The UK: Toblerone Shrinks By 10%, Price Stays The Same“, Shrinkflation Intensifies – Stealth Inflation As Thousands of Food Products Shrink In Size, Not Price), and we have a feeling that in light of the recent surge in commodity costs and food prices, we will be writing about it a whole lot more in the coming weeks.



Take Costco, which as The Bear Traps report notes, is now charging the same price for paper towels but the roll has 20 fewer sheets.

 

[Masterchief117]

I am not seeing a chicken shortage where I am standing.

I am in suburban Memphis, but what might be more relevant — because of huge medical bills from my wife’s eight year battle with cancer plus my early retirement to take care of her - I have been utilizing Trump’s Farmers to Families food box program and an occasional mobile pantry giveaway from the Mid-South food bank to help balance the budget.

With the Farmers to Families program, I can get up to 4 food boxes every week, and I take advantage of that most weeks, since the distribution point is just a few miles from my home.

Every box I have ever gotten from them has had two packages (apps 5 pounds total) of chicken in them - mostly pre-cooked chicken leg-thigh combos, or else boneless, skinless chicken thighs. The two of us cannot eat 20 pounds of chicken in a given week, so I have frozen a lot of it, and shared some of it with others.

(FYI: in case you are curious, the rest of the 25 pound boxes tend to have things like bags of potatoes, apples, and either onion or else cabbage in them, plus some assortment of dairy which might include cottage cheese, sour cream, and/or yogurt, plus one 1 pound block of cheese ( type of cheese varied between cheddar, Monterrey jack, mozzarella, Colby jack, Gouda, or one half pound boxes of VELVEETA cheese). And in every box was a one gallon jug of 2% white milk. One time, the boxes included celery instead of onions, and there were a few times that they threw in a few sweet potatoes... Just in case you were wondering what came in those boxes that your tax dollars paid for... The yogurt and cottage cheese was a godsend for my wife - with her chemo, she has days that the only thing she can hold down is the yogurt and the cottage cheese...)

Anyway, I have a freezer just full of chicken and cheese as a result of about six months of these boxes.

But the Farmers to Families boxes consist of only these items. There is little variety from one week to the next. So once or twice each month, I hit a mid-south mobile pantry. Their food varies quite a lot from one mobile pantry giveaway to the next, allowing variety in the diet that would not be possible utilizing only F2F food boxes.

So I hit a mobile pantry giveaway just yesterday. They were quite generous with what they loaded into my trunk, and I appreciate all they gave me. Just as I appreciate all I have been given thru the Farmers to Families program.

But after reading all this stuff about chicken shortages, when I got home, I was surprised to find that they had given me an entire case (30 pounds, I think) of frozen chicken drumsticks. Plus, they had also given me two cases (48 cans at 6 ounces per can) of canned chicken, packed in water.

It was so much chicken that I invited a couple of neighbor families over this evening for a chicken leg and roasted potato cook out.

So it is really hard for me to visualize there might be a shortage of chicken...

Unless, of course, the reason there is a chicken shortage is BECAUSE Trump’s Farmers to Families program and the mid-south food bank bought up all the chicken stocks before they made it to your local grocery store...

This program will end on May 31st, 2021, per the USDA website. I think they will still do something to deliver food items but kill this particular program because it was promoted and done under Trump's Administration. Can't have that now.

 

[Millwright]

How Costco Is Masking A 14% Price Jump With Shrinkflation

The oldest trick in the retailer book is back.

We have previously written about shrinkflation – the “creative” masking of higher prices whereby retailers sell a materially lower amount of products for the ‘same’ price, covering up what is often a significant price increase on a “per unit” basis (see “”Shrinkflation” – How Food Companies Implement Massive Price Hikes Without You Ever Noticing“, “Shrinkflation Hits The UK: Toblerone Shrinks By 10%, Price Stays The Same“, Shrinkflation Intensifies – Stealth Inflation As Thousands of Food Products Shrink In Size, Not Price), and we have a feeling that in light of the recent surge in commodity costs and food prices, we will be writing about it a whole lot more in the coming weeks.



Take Costco, which as The Bear Traps report notes, is now charging the same price for paper towels but the roll has 20 fewer sheets.

Anything you can buy today and use later is money in the pocket.

Anything.

 

[tencup]

Sorry folks not seeing any increases.....maybe bacon.....everything I buy is from Sam’s

 

[mzkitty]

It's weird about bacon. I got a pound of good quality bacon this past week - $3.99. But yet they have other brands that are all over the map, up to around $10.00/lb. I'm not paying that.

 

[tencup]

Kind of like those Job papers

 

[Roadgeek]

Anything you can buy today and use later is money in the pocket.

Anything.

Absolutely concur. We have several years worth of food in our house. My wife and I will continue to buy even more going forward due to the inflation, which we believe will become worse. Far worse. During an inflationary period the man who has stuff, of any sort, is king. So, yes, we are continuing to buy.

 

[Millwright]

Absolutely concur. We have several years worth of food in our house. My wife and I will continue to buy even more going forward due to the inflation, which we believe will become worse. Far worse. During an inflationary period the man who has stuff, of any sort, is king. So, yes, we are continuing to buy.

I picked up some LEM meat processing equipment yesterday.

A 1/2hp grinder, 8 1/2" slicer and 5lb sausage stuffer....at about 30% off.

Didn't really need it, but figgered it would appreciate quickly.

 

[nomifyle]

Meanwhile, at the feed store, the price of 50 lbs of corn has gone from $6 something in the fall to just over $10.

This will make it much more expensive to feed the 40+ laying hens we have, I think its too many and we give away 2 to 3 one gallon buckets of eggs every week.

And I can already hear the screaming of the hunters this year when hunting season is approaching.

God is good all the time

Judy

 

[tiredude]

Meanwhile, at the feed store, the price of 50 lbs of corn has gone from $6 something in the fall to just over $10.

This will make it much more expensive to feed the 40+ laying hens we have, I think its too many and we give away 2 to 3 one gallon buckets of eggs every week.

And I can already hear the screaming of the hunters this year when hunting season is approaching.

God is good all the time

Judy

If you use a feeder to spot corn and lure the animals into a kill zone .....I dont call them hunters..... let the pricks pay 10 dollars for a sack of corn.......

 

[tencup]

That’s the way I’m thinking

 

[nomifyle]

If you use a feeder to spot corn and lure the animals into a kill zone .....I dont call them hunters..... let the pricks pay 10 dollars for a sack of corn.......

That's what they all do. I have a cousin that I'm fond of, if a hunting dog does not do its job he takes it for a one way walk in the woods. Recently he got mad at a dog that he paid $300 for and shot it in the woods. That kind of thing and the dog hunting are things I don't like about him. But he and his wife are the best of the lot around here as far as friends go. So I have little choice.

God is good all the time

Judy

 

[Millwright]

We run corn feeders and protein feeders almost year 'round. It shows in the quality of deer. Not everybody gets a big buck every year. Maybe a cull spike and a doe.

When you have several deer stands on a lease, it's not an option to go playing Hiawatha through the woods.

 

[tiredude]

That's what they all do. I have a cousin that I'm fond of, if a hunting dog does not do its job he takes it for a one way walk in the woods. Recently he got mad at a dog that he paid $300 for and shot it in the woods. That kind of thing and the dog hunting are things I don't like about him. But he and his wife are the best of the lot around here as far as friends go. So I have little choice.

God is good all the time

Judy

Karma is a bitch for that little man

 

[nomifyle]

We run corn feeders and protein feeders almost year 'round. It shows in the quality of deer. Not everybody gets a big buck every year. Maybe a cull spike and a doe.

When you have several deer stands on a lease, it's not an option to go playing Hiawatha through the woods.

We don't really like the big bucks, but I'll take what we can get. DH has said something about some of the venison I've cooked lately being strong, but I've noticed nothing off about it. Although he didn't stop eating it.

God is good all the time

Judy

 

[nomifyle]

Karma is a bitch for that little man

Exactly, he's very tight with is money and he let his temper get the best of him shooting that dog. I swear he's got half of the first nickle he ever made and it was unusual for him to even buy a dog.

Judy

 

[ainitfunny]

I've eaten everything home butchered clean down to the oink. However, given other options, the head would be aways down on my list of preferred meats.

I was paddling out of there asap, per my disdain for the wallymart, and didn't see any other curious shoppers picking up hog noggins.

Im guessing our growing Hispanic population is the target market.

You have obviously NOT tried Pork JOWEL Bacon! It is far and away better tasting bacon than pork belly bacon !! A bit more expensive, and I have not found it presliced anywhere, but all in all, it is a delicious, rare treat when I find it at Kroger or Fred Meyer grocery!! Buy and try!

 

[Bones]

You have obviously NOT tried Pork JOWEL Bacon! It is far and away better tasting bacon than pork belly bacon !! A bit more expensive, and I have not found it presliced anywhere, but all in all, it is a delicious, rare treat when I find it at Kroger or Fred Meyer grocery!! Buy and try!

I'm certain I've had it. I just don't remember it from childhood. Headcheese, scrapple, jowls in beans, I'm sure my grandparents, and my parents, cooked it all. Every kind of wurst and schweiger, brains, bungs, lips, innards, feet's, ears, and everything else I missed.

Nothing went to waste. Cracklins, sausages, hams, roasts, steaks, chops, bacons, rinds.... I gotta believe everything was used.

I wouldn't be opposed to eating any of it again if the opportunity or necessity arose.

Heaven knows I've eaten waaaay worse in my life.

 

[Tennessee gal]

That's what they all do. I have a cousin that I'm fond of, if a hunting dog does not do its job he takes it for a one way walk in the woods. Recently he got mad at a dog that he paid $300 for and shot it in the woods. That kind of thing and the dog hunting are things I don't like about him. But he and his wife are the best of the lot around here as far as friends go. So I have little choice.

God is good all the time

Judy

No offense Judy, but why under God’s Heaven didn’t he just find his dog a new home. How someone treats their animals, tells a lot about themselves. That kind of temper is dangerous.

 

[Marseydoats]

We don't really like the big bucks, but I'll take what we can get. DH has said something about some of the venison I've cooked lately being strong, but I've noticed nothing off about it. Although he didn't stop eating it.

God is good all the time

Judy

You probably already know this, but if you soak your venison overnight in Italian salad dressing, it will really cut down on the strong taste.

 

[nomifyle]

No offense Judy, but why under God’s Heaven didn’t he just find his dog a new home. How someone treats their animals, tells a lot about themselves. That kind of temper is dangerous.

he looks at the dogs as tools, not a living being, I guess. other than this kind of thing, he's a pretty decent guy. And his attitude is not uncommon among country folks around here. Although I love being retired around here I'm glad I didn't spend my whole life living here.

God is good all the time

Judy

 

[Tennessee gal]

he looks at the dogs as tools, not a living being, I guess. other than this kind of thing, he's a pretty decent guy. And his attitude is not uncommon among country folks around here. Although I love being retired around here I'm glad I didn't spend my whole life living here.

God is good all the time

Judy

Thanks Judy for responding. I guess I ‘ve been a life long dog person. I remember my husband use to say, “ Love me, love my dogs” and he meant it. I admire your good attitude ...it is better than mine would be in the same situation.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

This program will end on May 31st, 2021, per the USDA website. I think they will still do something to deliver food items but kill this particular program because it was promoted and done under Trump's Administration. Can't have that now.

It's already ended in my area. Just about the time I learned about it, it was over.

 

[psychgirl]

Speaking of bone in chicken Kroger has bogo Tyson breasts on sale!
Looked pretty well stocked but only s few good sales. I bought more chicken

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Now that I'm finally beginning to see Wright's bacon back in my grocery store (Food Giant), it's Tyson's boneless chicken breasts that are scarce now. It's been over a month, since I've seen any. I'll be going grocery shopping, tomorrow, and will be looking again. I have plenty of beef, pork, and chicken in the freezers right now, but my chicken breasts are getting low.

 

[MissionBend]

I have be

Nomifyle, I read a long time ago that if you don't use eye make-up within about six months, it should be tossed and replaced because lots of germs can grow on it while it's just sitting around unused or seldom used.

This could be why yours bothered your eyes.

LOL I just within this last month replaced all my makeup. I had been using up bits and pieces of my daughters old makeup from when she was in college..(She is 35!) So, def. needed to be replaced. Ebay (for me) was the best shopping to be found.

 

[nomifyle]

I have be

LOL I just within this last month replaced all my makeup. I had been using up bits and pieces of my daughters old makeup from when she was in college..(She is 35!) So, def. needed to be replaced. Ebay (for me) was the best shopping to be found.

I did okay at Walmart price wise, but selection was limited.

God is good all the time

judy

 

[ainitfunny]

This ain't bad for $3.28
Hormel jarred pickled pigs feet.(partially deboned)
Link:
Walmart Grocery

 

[bassgirl]

Have you seen the little 6 packs of Coke and Pepsi that are about half the size of the regular cans?

They are 2.47 a 6 pack. That is nearly 10$ a case. You can buy a regular size cans in a case for 8.99 at wal mart. they are being sneaky about it as well.

 

[WalknTrot]

Have you seen the little 6 packs of Coke and Pepsi that are about half the size of the regular cans?

They are 2.47 a 6 pack. That is nearly 10$ a case. You can buy a regular size cans in a case for 8.99 at wal mart. they are being sneaky about it as well.

Haha! Coke has been on sale here consistently for the past few weeks. 4/$11.00 on the 16 oz. bottles. Running scared maybe. I even found Diet Sprite the other day, and that's been missing for a long time. Perfect timing for rum drink season.

 

[greysage]

Hit my neighborhood Hanna fords this morning. They had everything I needed, which wasn't much. Some empty spots but I think that has to do with the day of the week.

Interestingly, both 1# vacuseal packages of 85% no antibiotic etc ground beef was marked down to $4.89, those were above $6 recently. The 80% store brand standard ground beef was $2.39 per pound. Grabbed a package of the latter.

Also my favorite chicken sausages were marked down like the olden days to $3.99, they've been up to $5.89 last few times I looked.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

I went shopping for groceries, Monday. I was finally able to get the Tyson's boneless chicken breasts, again. They only had 5 bags, though. If I had room in my freezers, I would have bought them. Also, there was plenty of Wright's bacon back in stock at $8.99 for a 1.5lb package! I bought 2 of those.

Over all, I only bought pretty much what I always do for a two week grocery run. When I paid for it, I was shocked. My bill was around $85 dollars more than what I had just paid two weeks ago! That was my largest grocery bill to date at Food Giant!

 

[nomifyle]

Speaking of chicken, I have gotten a 12 can flat of 12.5 oz of walmart chicken for 19.99. The online walmart is no longer offering that. I did find 3 cans for 6.24, so if you want twelve cans its now 24.96. Fortunately I'm good in that area.

Plus we have 8 roosters, three of which DH has shut out of the chicken yard and is not feeding them. They still look fat, but they need to be butchered. They are eating other things.

God is good all the time

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Speaking of chicken, I have gotten a 12 can flat of 12.5 oz of walmart chicken for 19.99. The online walmart is no longer offering that. I did find 3 cans for 6.24, so if you want twelve cans its now 24.96. Fortunately I'm good in that area.

Plus we have 8 roosters, three of which DH has shut out of the chicken yard and is not feeding them. They still look fat, but they need to be butchered.

God is good all the time

I'm not short on canned chicken breast. Got at least a year's worth on hand. I do like buying the frozen chicken breasts for fried chicken. Yum, Yum!

 

[tencup]

When restaurants shut down.... Coke had enough product to float a Battleship

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

It's already ended in my area. Just about the time I learned about it, it was over.

Uh, no, Southern Breeze — they extended the program for Tupelo until the end of May.

Tomorrow - Wednesday - they will be doing another Farmers to Families food box distribution at the Furniture store again. They will have either 2,800 or else 5,600 boxes to give away (rumor I hear suggests they might send two huge 18 wheelers full of boxes down your way tomorrow, rather than the usual one 18 wheeler, cuz of your tornado situation).

Check out the Facebook page for the non-profit group MS Crisis Foundation for the latest information on Farmers to Families food box distributions in Tupelo, and indeed, in all of Mississippi.

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

About those chicken shortages, perhaps I spoke too soon.

The Farmers to Families program got extended one more month - till the end of May - and today is our usual day to get boxes where I live.

So I went to get my 4 boxes. But instead of getting packages of pre-cooked chicken leg-thigh quarters or else Boneless, skinless chicken thighs, we got packages of something they call “chicken taco mix”. Most of us recipients call it “chicken slop” because that is what it looks like. (Actually, I think it looks like mustard laden vomit...).

We have gotten it before, many months ago, until the distributor spearheading the Tennessee and Mississippi food box distribution got enough complaints that he quit sending it out. It looks most unappetizing, and most people who get the stuff end up throwing it away. But I read on a Facebook site (where a lot of food box recipients across the nation get together to share recipes) that the stuff can be used to make a fairly good chili. So I am going to seal off my wife’s bedroom (so she doesn’t have to smell it cooking), and I am going to try my hand at turning the stuff into a reasonable pot of chili.

But - more important to this thread - they have been sending us lots of real chicken, but today, it was this stuff instead. There is supposed to be some ground chicken in this package, but if it is, there isn’t much.

I am hoping that we got this “slop” today so that they can send the good chicken down to Tupelo tomorrow. That could be why we got it.

But it could also be that the good chicken they have been giving us is either getting too expensive, or else, is in short supply. Which woul go right along with the chicken shortages noted earlier in this thread.

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

I'm not short on canned chicken breast. Got at least a year's worth on hand. I do like buying the frozen chicken breasts for fried chicken. Yum, Yum!

Southern Breeze, get ye down to the furniture store tomorrow.

I am not sure if you will get some of the really good chicken we were getting up till today - I think we might have gotten the stuff we got today in Memphis so they could send the good chicken down to you folks instead.

But even if they don’t include the chicken leg quarters in your boxes tomorrow, there is other really good stuff in those boxes. Today, in a single box - besides the chicken taco mix they gave us, we got a 24 ounce container of Dannon vanilla yogurt, a 16 ounce container of sour cream, a 1 pound block of real cheddar cheese, a 16 ounce container of low fat cottage cheese, a 5 pound bag of russet potatoes, a 3 pound bag of apples, a 3 pound bag of yellow onions, and a gallon of 2% milk.

i am not sure about Tupelo, but where I live, we are allowed to get 4 boxes. You just open your empty car trunk up, and they fill it with food boxes. You do not have to ask. They do it automatically - with a smile.

Also, in previous weeks, the MS Crisis Foundation has rustled up other free food for the Tupelo site, in addition to the Farmers to Families food boxes. Swift Premium meats has been there more than once to donate packages of sliced ham and other cold cuts. And I think they had a big breakfast cereal giveaway a week or two ago. Especially after your tornados, I would think they might be looking to find another big donor or two to show up with extras for you all.

You paid for the food boxes through your taxes. It is NOT charity!