2B
Wednesday, June 12, 1996
KU LIFE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Students search for low-budget groceries
1
Shoppers want stores with good bargains; area grocers also offer service, atmosphere
By Dave Breitenstein Kansan staff writer
As a college student with little money, Chris Rohr looks for the best deals when shopping for groceries.
"At a limited budget, I have to the
places I can afford," said Rohr, a Topeka senior.
Grocery item
Alkin's IGA 901 Iowa St.
Checkers 2340 Louisiana St.
Dillons 3000 W. 6th St.
Food 4 Less 2525 Iowa St.
Hy-Vee 3504 Clinton Parkway
SuperTarget 3201 Iowa St.
American Beauty Spaghetti (24oz)
$1.75 $1.49 $1.29 $1.55 $1.63 $1.46
Coca-Cola (24 cans)
$6.99 $6.62 $6.49 $5.99 $6.49 $5.49
Del Monte Canned Peaches (15.25oz)
$1.15 $0.89 $0.97 $0.93 $0.95 $0.93
Iron Kids Bread (24 oz)
n/a $1.49 $1.83 $1.39 $1.89 $1.86
Lays Potato Chips (14 oz)
$2.99 $2.28 $2.99 $2.69 $2.99 $2.59
Lipton Chicken Flavor Rice (4.4 oz)
$1.29 $0.99 $1.15 $1.05 $1.09 $1.02
Minute Maid Original Orange Juice (12 oz)
$1.25 $0.98 $1.47 $1.45 $1.55 $1.13
Oscar Mayer Bologna (8 oz)
$1.69 $1.37 $1.89 $1.39 $1.39 $1.43
Swanson Turkey Dinner (11.75 oz)
$2.05 $1.89 $2.19 $2.29 $2.29 $2.07
Tombstone Original Deluxe (23.6 oz)
$4.29 $3.00 $4.45 $3.19 $4.29 $4.21
Totals
$23.45* $21.00 $24.72 $21.92 $24.56 $22.19
Lawrence grocers hope shoppers think their store is the one with lowest prices.
Comparison of 10 items at Lawrence grocers
PRICE COMPARISON
For Rohr, Hy-Vee and Food 4 Less have the best prices. He occasionally shops at Dillons because of double and triple coupons.
"Akins' ICA does not carry iron Kids bread so the total is figured without it.
Ken Keefer, Dillons director of advertising and public relations, said, "We are very aware of and sensitive to the competitive market that we're operating in. We try to maintain a very competitive position on the most shipped-for items."
Keefer said factors other than price also drew shoppers to the three Dillons stores in Lawrence.
"No one can make the claim of having all the low prices," he said.
Dillons does not always have the lowest price on a particular item, Keefer said.
Keller said Hy-Vee's low prices and sale items also helped business.
"With it being such a large, spacious store and having the help that we do on hand, it makes it very convenient for everybody," Keller said.
"We make an excellent presentation of a good product. What sets us apart from the rest is the overall atmosphere and presentation of the store." Keefer said.
Bridgette Keller, assistant food store manager of Hy-Vee, 3504 Clinton Parkway, also said the shopping environment was the key to selling groceries.
Valerie Huffman/KANSAN
As with Dillons, Keller said Hy-Vee's prices were not what drew most customers into the store. "We have the fastest, friendliest service in town." she said.
Jim Lewis, owner of Checkers, 2300 Louisiana St., said service is important, but low prices
were his store's main attraction. Lewis said quality and price were the two factors that place Checkers ahead of the other stores.
"Our prices are lower than almost everybody on everything," Lewis said. "There are exceptions to that. I'm sure I get beat every once in a while."
Lewis said he strived for low prices by checking competitors' prices weekly. One reason for low prices at Checkers is related to its physical structure.
"Our shopping environment is pretty basic. We don't have a lot of glim and glitter," he said.
Lewis said the extras found in other stores led
to higher prices.
Jim Roberts, manager of Alvin's IGA, 901 Iowa St., said he made sure prices were comparable to other Lawrence stores. But he said Alvin's IGA was a smaller store.
"You can't compare full-service stores and small grocery stores. It's like comparing apples and oranges — they are totally different," Roberts said.
"Our prices are very good, and we have quality meats and produce," he said.
SuperTarget, 3201 Iowa St., also tries to have competitive prices. Greg Williams, grocery team
Coupons can bring big savings to customers who use them
By Dave Breitenstein
Kansan staff writer
Allan Holt doesn't believe it is worth the effort to cut coupons.
"I have used coupons in the past, but I'm too lazy to go find them," said Holt, an Overland Park junior.
Free money is appealing to everyone. Few people would turn down a quarter, but not everyone cuts coupons even though manufacturers offer substantial savings.
"It is certainly not a majority of customers who use coupons," said Ken Keefer, director of advertising and public relations for Dillons, which has three stores in Lawrence.
Keefer said coupons were a good value and could save shoppers a lot of money. Dillons always offers double coupons for a maximum savings of $1 a coupon.
The store also has other special coupon promotions. Dillons occasionally triples coupons originally valued up to 33 cents. During the store's super double coupon promotion, it doublescoupons with original values up to $1, allowing shoppers to save as much as $2 on a single item.
"We feel doubling coupons is a cost of doing business that we can justify," he said. "If you talk to a coupon shopper, they can certainly make a convincing case for the value of coupons."
Mike Gee, a senior from Thousand Oaks, Calif., is a coupon user. He said he typically saved about $25 each month from coupons inserted in The Kansas City Star.
"Every time I look through the Sunday paper, I find a coupon that I can use," Gee said. "I use coupons almost every time I shop for food."
Jim Lewis, owner of Checkers,
2300 Louisiana St., said that
although his store didn't double
coupons, many shoppers still used them at the store.
"Coupons are definitely worth the customers' time if they want to go through them and save the money," Lewis said.
Even though Checkers distributes its own coupons frequently, Lewis said business did not increase because of coupons. He also warned against falling into the coupon trap of some grocery stores.
"Other stores increase prices so they can double coupons, and the customer ends up paying for that," he said. "They think they're getting something for nothing, but they're not."
Bridgette Keller, assistant food store manager of Hy-Vee, 3504 Clinton Parkway, said that the store did not double coupons and didn't take in a lot of manufacturer's coupons. However, Hy-Vee produces its own coupons which are available at the store.
SuperTarget, 3201 Iowa St., distributes its own coupons but does not double them. Greg Williams, grocery team leader at SuperTarget, said his store already provided the lowest price possible, and doubling coupons might actually raise prices. SuperTarget advertises in several newspapers to promote its sales.
Alvin's IGA, 901 Iowa St., doubles coupons originally valued up to 50 cents. Jim Roberts, manager, said doubling coupons attracted shoppers.
"Customers know they will get twice as much for a coupon," he said.
Roberts said that coupons encouraged brand loyalty, but shoppers should use them to save money.
Food 4 Less, 2525 Iowa St., also puts out store coupons but does not double them. Store managers declined to comment.
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865-5775
Hours:
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Fu-Sat: 11 am to 3 am
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PAPA JOHN'S VALUE MENU
Small Large Extra Larg Cheese Pizza 5.20 7.95 9.95 One Topping 5.95 8.95 11.25 Two Toppings 6.70 9.95 12.55 Three Toppings 7.45 10.95 13.85 Four Toppings 8.20 11.95 15.15 Five Toppings 8.95 12.95 16.45
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Mushrooms, Onion, Green Peppers & Black Olives
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Pepperoni, Ham, Sausage, Mushrooms, Onion,
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Breadsticks...1.90
Delicious oven-baked sticks with plenty of Papa John's Special Garlic Sauce & Nacho Cheese Sauce
Cheesesticks... 3.45
A Chicago-cut treat treat smothered in cheese & Special Garlic Sauce
One Small Two Toppings
---
TOPPINGS:
Minimum Delivery $5.00
Expires 30 days. Not valid with any other offer.
Valid only at participating locations. Customer pays
if applicable sales tax. Additional topping extra.
$495
Ham
Pepperoni
Sausage
Ground Beef
Bacon
Anchovies
Extra Cheese
Italian Sausage
Mushrooms
Onions
Black Olives
Green Peppers
Jalapeno Peppers
Banana Peppers
Pineapple
One Large Two Toppings
Drinks... 99
20 oz. Bottle of Coca-Cola classic,
Sprite or coke Coke
$797
Expires 30 days. Not valid with any other offer.
Valid only at participating locations. Customer pays all applicable sales tax. Additionalpping extra
Extras...30
Extra Peperonicini, Special Garlic Sauce, Nacho Cheese Sauce
FREE DELIVERY!
Customer pays all applicable sales tax
Thrifty Ten Fifty
One Extra Large
Two Toppings
$1050
Expire 30 days. Not valid with any other offer.
Valid only at participating locations. Customer pays
all applicable sales tax. Additional tipping extra.