The Friday Checkout is a weekly column providing more insight on the news, rounding up the announcements you may have missed and sharing what’s to come.
Inflation declined in July to its lowest level on an annual basis since March 2021, yet consumers are still worried about high prices — especially for food.
Last month, food-at-home prices rose at a 1.1% annual rate — below the 2.9% annual increase for overall inflation, according to Consumer Price Index data released Wednesday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris is reportedly expected to unveil plans for a federal ban on price gouging to help reduce grocery prices and everyday costs as part of her presidential campaign promises.
In a letter to Kroger asking about its pricing practices with electronic shelf labels last week, Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Robert P. Casey wrote: “High grocery prices are one of the leading concerns among Americans who are concerned about inflation. … Indeed, everyday Americans still struggle to put food on the table because giant corporations, facing little competition, can force customers to pay too much for essential grocery items while they further increase their profits.”
Heightened worry about grocery prices among consumers despite falling inflation isn’t new, but the disconnect is taking on added urgency as the election cycle heats up.
“Inflation has caused the price of many consumer goods – from gasoline to apparel – to increase … [but] the pace of year-over-year inflation continues to moderate, and food prices actually represent a bright spot in the data,” FMI – The Food Industry Association President and CEO Leslie G. Sarasin said in a statement.
Sarasin said that food retailers have thin profit margins and that the industry “works tirelessly — amidst fierce competition — to address inflation and keep prices as low as possible to meet the needs of shoppers.”
In case you missed it
Schnucks says goodbye to Eatwell
The Midwestern grocery chain said this week that it finished converting the former Eatwell store in Columbia, Missouri, to its Schnucks banner, with a grand opening celebration set for Saturday. The store includes expanded product offerings throughout the store as well as new decor and signage.
In May, Schnuck Markets announced its plans to abandon the two-store Eatwell format, which it launched in 2020, and closed the format’s store in Chesterfield, Missouri, a few weeks later.
DoorDash jumps on the streaming partnership bandwagon
Following in the footsteps of Walmart and Instacart, DoorDash announced Tuesday its first-ever streaming partnership. The third-party e-commerce provider has linked with Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max service to give DashPass members access to a library of TV from brands such as HBO, Adult Swim and DC Universe. DashPass members with an annual plan can access the streaming content at no additional cost.
Dollar discounters are sprouting growth
The expansion efforts by Dollar General and Dollar Tree are helping to drive the chains’ ongoing foot traffic gains, Placer.ai noted in a recent blog post.
In the second quarter, Dollar General saw a 13.1% year-over-year bump in foot traffic while Dollar Tree recorded an 8.4% increase, according to the analytics firm, which uses location data from people’s mobile devices to compute foot traffic patterns. Both chains are seeing a steady increase in customers visiting multiple times a month, Placer noted.
Number of the week: 22%
That’s the percentage by which Walmart’s online sales in the U.S. grew during the second fiscal quarter of 2025, the company reported Thursday. Automation, stores’ proximity to shoppers’ homes and new generative AI tools helped drive results in the digital channel, company executives said.
What’s ahead
BJ’s reports earnings
Next Thursday, club retailer BJ’s Wholesale Club will release sales results for its fiscal second quarter of 2024.
Impulse find
Whole Foods’ CEO grocery shops “at least twice a day, every single day”
It’s normal for grocery executives to drop in on company stores. But Whole Foods CEO Jason Buechel may hold the high mark for the frequency of visits. In an interview with Fortune, Buechel said he visits the company’s flagship store in Austin more than a dozen times each week. He usually drops in at lunchtime, then again to gather ingredients for dinner.
It helps that his trip to the store is a short one: Whole Foods’ headquarters are located right above the flagship store. Buechel has also been spending a lot of time in stores since he started in the top role in 2022 learning more about the business. Fortune reported that he’s received training from a store butcher and completed the company’s bakery decorator program.
