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Stop & Shop announces plan to lower prices in Eastern Mass.
The prices of thousands of items will be lowered by the end of the month at 88 locations, the company says.
It might be worth waiting a bit to do your grocery shopping: Stop & Shop announced it’s lowering the prices of thousands of items locally beginning on Friday.
The grocery chain will roll out lower prices throughout the end of August in its 88 Eastern Mass. locations, according to an announcement on Tuesday. Customers will see cheaper items in every department, for products from both national and Stop & Shop brands, according to the chain.
“Massachusetts is our home, and bringing meaningful savings to millions of customers right in our backyard is an important milestone in our broader strategy,” president of the Quincy-based grocery chain, Roger Wheeler, wrote in a press release.
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Once the prices are lowered in these stores, all 116 Massachusetts Stop & Shop stores will have lower everyday prices, according to Wheeler.
“We know that value matters now more than ever, and this price investment, which is the largest one we’ve executed to date, is just one example of the work we’re focused on to deliver a great experience for our customers in terms of value, high-quality products, and service in our stores,” Wheeler added.
The announcement comes after lawmakers questioned if the grocers were doing enough to lower prices.
Wheeler responded to the lawmakers in a letter in May, citing the 2024 announcement of its multi-year plan to lower prices and remodel stores. He said prices hadn’t yet dropped due to broader economic challenges, including supply chain issues.
Stop & Shop:
Lawmakers raised initial concerns last September after the Hype Square Task Force found that Stop & Shop charged more for items in working-class neighborhoods than wealthier neighborhoods.
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Specifically, a Stop & Shop in Jamaica Plain charged 18% more for certain items than a Dedham location did. By April, the prices in Jamaica Plain were lowered, according to the task force.
“We’ll keep up the pressure to make sure Stop & Shop keeps its promise so that families — especially those in working-class neighborhoods — aren’t being overcharged based on where they live,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren told Boston.com in a May statement.
In the letter to lawmakers, Wheeler said prices are not based on the store’s location.
In addition to the new lower prices, Stop & Shop offers sale prices on over 10,000 items each week, according to the press release.
The grocery chain previously eliminated paper bag charges, except where mandated, lowered prices on popular bakery items, and installed coupon kiosks in every store. The grocer also gives away complimentary items with the purchase of a protein on sale as a “meal deal” for a family of four, and one full-size item per month for customers who use the coupon kiosk, the release states.
Examples of items decreasing in price:
| Item | Old Price | New Price |
| Stop & Shop Italian Bread (16 oz) | 2.49 | 1.79 |
| Stop & Shop Rotisserie Chicken (30 oz) | 7.99 | 6.49 |
| Russet Potatoes (5-pound bag) | 3.99 | 3.69 |
| Chobani Non-Fat Yogurt (5.3 oz) | 1.79 | 1.49 |
| Stop & Shop Brand Bacon (16 oz) | 6.99 | 6.49 |
| College Inn Chicken Broth (32 oz) | 3.49 | 2.79 |
| Sargento Shredded Cheese (8 oz) | 4.29 | 3.99 |
| Stop & Shop Brand Pasta (16 oz) | 1.29 | 0.99 |
| Stop & Shop Brand Ice Cream Carton (48 oz) | 3.79 | 3.39 |
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