We wanted to buy a few groceries, so Mike and I went to a huge Kroger's store here in Germantown (Memphis suburb) today. As we checked out, the associate asked, "Do you have a card with us?" The drawl was so heavy I barely understood her, but of course, I'm familiar with grocery shopping and I know that at this juncture that's the question they ask.
"No, I dont," I replied.
"Ya'll don't have a card with us?" she questioned incredulously.
"We're travelers," Mike responded in southernese. "We're just passing through."
"What cards do you have then?" she asked.
"Safeway and Albertsons," I said.
"Gimme that then," she said.
Really? -- So I handed her my Safeway card which she entered into their system with ease.
"That works?" said Mike, as we watched in disbelief.
"We all the same company," she said, showing us the store savings at the bottom of our receipt.
"So, all those stores are the same company?" I asked Mike later.
"Yeah," he said, "-- Kroger's."
"What about anti-trust?" I asked Max, the lawyer.
"That's gone," he said.
Leaving Memphis in the morning. We expect a long day of driving. You know, I think we're anxious to get home. KW
2 comments:
I didn't know Safeway was part of Kroger. Hmmm
Mike reminded me of an article in the newspaper a month or so ago -- about how Krogers owns the largest share of grocery stores in the country. And while I was still working, one of the consultants met with a grocery store employee who told her that Safeway and Albertsons are owned by the same company and that over time the consumer would see them becoming more alike. KW
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