There is no need to guess what the major focus was for grocery stores this week. Retailers had everything on hand for traditional meals as well as for modern takes on Thanksgiving dinner. The aisles were bursting with holiday staples like celery, sweet potatoes, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, cranberries, pineapples, baked apples, pomegranates, onions, potatoes, and green beans. New crop citrus like satsumas, Navel oranges, and lemons added sparkle to the festivities. Fresh chestnuts, whole and shelled nuts, and poinsettias added to the holiday flair.
Total ad numbers this week were 263,734, a 9% decrease from last week's total of 289,775. The total for the same week last year was 18% higher at 322,089. The total number of ads broken out by commodity groups: fruit 137,658 (52% of all ads), onions and potatoes 23,444 (9%), vegetables 97,764 (37%), herbs 800, ornamentals 2,162, and hemp 2,706. The number of ads for organic produce was 34,498, 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 cranberries (12 oz.) at 16% and pomegranates (each) at 13%. Significant decreases included lemons (2 lb. bag) at 35%, seedless grapes (red at 25%, white at 17%), avocados at 21%, blueberries (1 pint) at 16%, and Honeycrisp apples (per lb.) at 13%. There were no significant changes in price for potatoes and onions this week. Significant increases in price for vegetables this week included only sweet potatoes (per lb.) at 16%. There were no significant decreases.
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