From the jingle of the bell ringers outside the door to the jangle of coins going back into shoppers' pockets, the holidays sounded sweet at grocery stores across the country this week. Shelves were filled with everything shoppers needed for their celebrations. Blackberries and tangerines were the most advertised fruits this week, with blueberries, mangos, Honeycrisp apples, and pomegranates not far behind. Ads for onions and potatoes increased this week as cold weather set in and hearty dishes hit the table. Sweet potatoes and cucumbers topped the vegetable list, but baby carrots, asparagus, tomatoes, cabbage, and winter squashes were also popular items. Baking staples, meats, gift ideas, poinsettias, decorations, and party trays rounded out the holiday specials offered this week.
Total ad numbers this week were 291,666, a 5% increase from last week's total of 277,170. The total for the same week last year was 6% higher at 309,590. The total number of ads broken out by commodity groups: fruit 161,407 (55% of all ads), onions and potatoes 30,510 (10%), vegetables 93,307 (32%), herbs 1,008, ornamentals 4,549 (2%), and hemp 1,893. The number of ads for organic produce was 31,853, 11% 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 pears (D'Anjou at 21%, Bartlett at 18%) and Honeycrisp apples at 14%. Significant decreases included mangos at 26%, and red and white seedless grapes, both at 14%. Significant increases in price for potatoes and onions this week included yellow potatoes (5 lb. bag) at 4%. Significant decreases included Russet potatoes (5 lb. bag) at 5%. Significant increases in price for vegetables this week included long seedless cucumbers at 26% and asparagus at 17%. There were no significant decreases.
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