Chain closed to attack prices

Press, 2 November 1982, Page 26

Chain closed to attack prices

Close to 500 items have been reduced in price at the 31 Supervalue supermarkets under the group’s new pricing strategy, which comes into effect today. The stores, which are in the South Island from Nelson to Timaru, were closed yesterday as staff changed prices. At some of the privately owned stores in the chain there was also work on Sunday. Monday was chosen for the closing because it is a light day in supermarkets. ' The advertising manager for Supervalue. Mr Bruce Johnson, said in Christchurch yesterday that the group expected to recoup the margin lost on the goods from in-

creased turnover. There were no plans to make coun-ter-savings from reduced overheads or staffing. “But we expect that the present staff will be able to deal with greater volumes of business.” He said the store’s policy of “specials” would continue as before. The reductions of prices, all in "dry groceries." will be kept down, but not because of the price freeze regulations; these set the ceiling as prices applying in June. The Supervalue campaign is being launched with heavy advertising, including four full pages in this morning’s editions of “The Press."