Were getting the short end at grocery stores
 

This weeks food circular back home.

https://static1.squarespace.com/stat...FC_ME_1006.pdf

Just left Winn Dixe without buying a thing
just shaking my head.

No argument from me. When I visit friends in Georgia I'm always amazed at the prices in THEIR Publix stores. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

I shop Aldis and Wal-mart. Only go to Publix or Winn Dixie if they have a good meat sale. Otherwise I get meat at Sams Club. I can't imagine what a cart full of groceries must cost at Publix or WD. We went to WD to get a bag of some type of snack ( chips, etc). They were more than double the cost from Aldis.....didn’t buy them. Some people prefer the real grocery store atmosphere of Publix and WD. It's great that we have options.

Groceries are cheaper. What about weather? Crime? Golf? Lifestyle? If you don’t care about lifestyle choices and only care about cheap groceries, don’t let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya.

:bigbow::bigbow:

So, what's your saying get gouged here or there. So, there not any have your cake and eat it too?:1rotfl:

When I lived in Orlando, I worked for the biggest law firm in Florida. One of the assistants found out the counterparts in the Miami Office were making 20% more than we were making. My answer was then move to Miami. There are good and bad things about everywhere. Pick the ones you can live with or without and go from there.

I haven't lived anywhere that had weekly BOGO deals, so they're a big plus for me on pantry staples and non-perishables. Half off brings prices below Walmart. I don't buy enough in bulk to justify the $45 annual fee at Sam's Club and am not driving 18 miles round trip to Aldis.

When I lived in Hawaii, I'd get agro every time I went grocery shopping. Yes yes, transportation costs, but it was still ridiculously spendy. San Francisco was expensive as well. Northern MN offered double coupons but that was a hassle to organize.

Long way around to say that, all things considered, I'm very satisfied with the choices and prices for groceries here.

FWIW, here's a cost of living comparison for TV vs one of the cities I picked at random from the linked flyer, Turners Falls, MA.

Cost of Living Comparison: compare The Villages, Florida to Turners Falls, Massachusetts

How do your taxes here compare to "back home"?

No mention of taxes in Turner Falls compared to TV.

Taxes
 

Over 12,000 to under 2,300. TV is a bargain.

People saying, "don't let the door hit you on the way out" and other snide remarks don't really add anything or answer the questions.

If taxes, utilities, wages are lower here... then why are groceries higher.

Are there some monopolistic forces at play or is it simply economy of scale?

A reply from someone with real knowledge would be appreciated.

Long ago someone said the area is monopolistically controlled, but I forget the details.

I always find it interesting that Publix is the most expensive of all the supermarkets in the region, but are the most successful. They have the most customers and most sales. I guess a lot of people put service, selection, and cleanliness of the store above price.

I don't know for sure, but it could be that real estate and rentals are more expensive in The Villages. I don't know if the same with the Publix and Winn Dixie stores 50 miles from here but it could also be that those stores pay higher wages and have better employee benefits than others. I know Publix does.

But I think that it's more likely what the market will bear. Every retailer tries to set their prices at a level that will give them the highest return on their investment at the same time retaining a good customer base. In other words, they will price things as high as they can until people start shopping elsewhere. Stores in areas with higher income levels will charge more for the same products than stores in low income areas.


I don't understand how there is any kind of monopoly going on here. We have a choice of several grocery stores to choose from.

Someone said the monopolistic practices were at the distributor level.

Wish I could find that post.


Yes, Publix treats it's employees well.