As winter lingers on, retailers did their best this week to remind shoppers of warmer, sunnier weather ahead. Specials in brightly colored fruit like strawberries, nectarines, blueberries, tangerines, dekopons, oranges, kiwis, and white, red, and black grapes were abundant. Fresh salad ingredients such as cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, and packaged salads were popular. Floral ads filled flyers with cheer, featuring potted and fresh-cut tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, chrysanthemums, and roses.
Total ad numbers this week were 282,900, a 1% decrease from last week's total of 286,859. The total for the same week last year was 8% higher at 307,721. The total number of ads broken out by commodity groups: fruit 149,480 (53%), onions and potatoes 26,520 (9%), vegetables 101,865 (36%), herbs 1,169, ornamentals 1,384, and hemp 3,651. The number of ads for organic produce was 37,439, 13% of total ads.
The following are the prices of major advertised items (3,000 plus ads) this week, compared to the same week last year. Significant increases in price for fruit this week included only strawberries (1 lb.) at 18%. Significant decreases included seedless grapes (white at 22%, red at 19%, black at 17%), blueberries (1 pint) at 15%, and tangerines (3 lb. bag) at 13%.
There were no significant changes in price for onions and potatoes this week. Significant increases in price for vegetables this week included packaged salad (10-12 oz.) at 14%, organic packaged salad (5-9 oz.) at 12%, and asparagus at 12%. There were no significant decreases.
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