Shatel Huntley has a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Georgia State University. In her spare time, she works with special needs adults and travels the world. Her interests include traveling to off the beaten path destinations, shopping, couponing, and saving.
As 2025 comes to a close, the battle for the budget-conscious shopper has intensified. While traditional supermarkets try to hold onto their market share, value-focused chains like Aldi, Lidl, and Grocery Outlet are aggressively expanding into new territories. This expansion is not random; it is a calculated strike on specific regions where food inflation remains…
For years, many American neighborhoods have been dominated by a single grocery chain, giving shoppers few options and even fewer reasons to expect competitive pricing. However, late 2025 and early 2026 mark a significant shift in the retail landscape. Aggressive expansion plans from regional discount powerhouses are breaking up these monopolies. This wave of new…
As 2025 comes to a close, grocery chains and credit card issuers are launching aggressive end-of-year loyalty promotions to capture holiday spending. Shoppers who are not actively monitoring their rewards portals are leaving significant value on the table. Major players like Kroger, Safeway, and financial partners like Chase have rolled out specific “multiplier” events for…
In a retail environment defined by cautious consumer spending, the discount grocery sector continues to prove its resilience. Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. has reported third-quarter 2025 results that exceeded analyst expectations, signaling that the “treasure hunt” model is resonating with shoppers more effectively than traditional static pricing. While many major retailers struggle to maintain foot…
The battle for the suburban and rural grocery dollar has entered a new phase. In a massive logistical push, Amazon announced in December 2025 that its Same-Day Fresh grocery delivery service had expanded to cover more than 2,300 cities and towns across the United States. This milestone represents a doubling of their reach in just…
As we head into 2026, the definition of “value” in the grocery aisle is undergoing a profound transformation. It is no longer just about the lowest price on the shelf. According to the “Ingredient 2025 Trend Report” and recent industry data, shoppers are increasingly pivoting toward “value-driven ingredients”—foods that offer versatility, nutritional density, and sustainability.…
For decades, the “supermarket deli” was a place of last resort—a sad collection of dry rotisserie chickens and mayo-heavy potato salad. But in 2026, a massive shift has occurred. Squeezed by rising restaurant menu prices and tipping fatigue, Americans are flocking to “grocerants”—grocery stores that offer restaurant-quality hot food. Chains like Wegmans, Whole Foods, and…
While overall inflation has cooled significantly since the chaotic peaks of the early 2020s, the grocery aisle remains a volatile place. As we look toward the first quarter of 2026, market analysts and agricultural economists are warning of targeted price hikes in specific categories. Unlike the broad inflation of the past, these upcoming increases are driven by distinct biological constraints, geopolitical…
In the world of couponing, not all clips are created equal. Most coupons save you fifty cents or a dollar. But savvy shoppers know that there is a tier of high-value coupons that can make premium products nearly free. These coupons are rare. They don’t usually appear in the Sunday paper. Instead, they hide in…
The discount grocery wars are heating up in 2025. As food inflation settles into a new normal, shoppers are increasingly abandoning traditional supermarkets for deep-discount chains. In response, major players Aldi, Grocery Outlet, and Save A Lot are aggressively expanding their footprints. While they are opening stores nationwide, eight specific states are seeing a concentrated…
The retail landscape in late 2025 tells a story of adaptation and survival. While headlines often focus on the consumer’s struggle with higher prices, the retailers themselves are navigating a complex, shifting terrain. Inflation has done more than just raise the price tag on a gallon of milk; it has fundamentally altered the mechanics of…
For the past few years, grocery delivery felt like a subsidized luxury. Venture capital and aggressive market share wars allowed shoppers to have avocados and milk delivered to their doorsteps for little more than the cost of a tip. However, as 2025 comes to a close, the era of cheap same-day delivery is drawing to…
For years, grocery inventory management was a tedious, back-of-house chore primarily focused on counting boxes of cereal and cans of soup. However, in late 2025, retailers discovered that the real value of inventory audits lies in the fresh departments. A wave of new industry data suggests that increasing the frequency of inventory counts in meat,…
By late 2025, most shoppers have grown weary of the inflation headlines. We are told that the worst is over and that prices are stabilizing. However, a deeper look at the commodities market and supply chain data reveals a different story brewing for early 2026. While the sticker price on the shelf might look stable…
The era of the paper price sticker is quietly ending. In late 2025, retailers like Walmart, Kroger, and Aldi have aggressively replaced traditional shelf tags with Electronic Shelf Labels (ESLs). These digital screens promise efficiency, allowing stores to update prices instantly without the labor of manually swapping paper tags. However, for the coupon-savvy shopper, this…
The final grocery run before Christmas is often the most chaotic and expensive shopping trip of the year. The store is crowded, the music is loud, and the pressure to create a perfect holiday experience is at an all-time high. In this stressed state, even the most budget-conscious shoppers tend to make small, seemingly insignificant…