CLEVELAND Area grocery chains lower prices to stay competitive

The price reductions affect thousands of products.
STAFF/WIRE REPORT
CLEVELAND -- Two grocery chains serving the Mahoning Valley -- Giant Eagle and Tops -- have announced price reductions on several thousand products beginning today.
Giant Eagle's new pricing will be sustained for the foreseeable future and will affect about 15 supermarkets in the Youngstown/Warren area, greater Cleveland and the Akron/Canton area.
The new pricing will be on a variety of everyday national-brand grocery, dairy and frozen food items.
Customers will also see price reductions on routine products, such as household cleaners, baby and pet care items and health and beauty aids.
Rob Borella, Giant Eagle spokesman, wasn't able Saturday to offer an average percentage by which items will be reduced, but he provided a few examples, which he said may vary by a few pennies, depending on the area.
Reductions
UAn 80-ounce bottle of Whisk detergent that sold for $6.99 will now sell for $6.23.
UA Luvs diaper jumbo pack that previously went for $8.49 will be sold for $7.92.
UA 20-pounce box of Post Raisin Bran has been reduced from $3.69 to $3.39.
Borella said the move is intended to make the company more competitive with a growing number of supermarkets and other retailers, such as convenience stores, that are offering an expanded selection of food items.
Giant Eagle, ranked 22 on Forbes magazine's largest private corporations list, is one of the nation's largest food retailers and food distributors with more than $4.7 billion in annual sales.
Founded in 1931, Giant Eagle has grown to be one of the largest supermarket retailers in the region with 130 corporate and 84 independently owned and operated stores throughout western Pennsylvania, Ohio, north central West Virginia and Maryland. None of the western Pennsylvania Giant Eagles will be affected by the price reduction, Borella said.
Tops
Tops Friendly Markets, meanwhile, announced price cuts on more than 12,000 items. That company, with stores in the Warren and Niles area, is advertising a 24-pack of Pepsi for $3.77, for example.
Analysts say the move is a response to Wal-Mart, which generally sells a basket of groceries for about 20 percent less than traditional stores.
Ads for both Giant Eagle and Tops appear in today's Vindicator.