Huntington News

Issue date: 3/20/08 Section: News

Amid rising food prices statewide, Northeastern students have not significantly altered their food buying habits, an informal survey by The News found.

Many prices of staple goods like milk and eggs have risen 26 percent and 40 percent, respectively, since last fall, according to the US Department of Labor.

However, some students said that although price is an important factor in deciding where and how they shop, the recent increase in food costs has not affected them.

"I generally shop as I always have," Chris Lungu, a senior entrepreneurship and marketing major said, adding that he concentrates his shopping at Shaw's and Stop & Shop because it's less expensive than other grocers.

Andrew Wesson, a sophomore sociology major, said he avoids Whole Foods, despite its convenient location close to campus.

"I shop more based on food prices. I buy stuff like Ramen, bread, Chef Boyardee and rice cakes. At home, I eat [differently]," Wesson said.

Wesson said at the beginning of the semester, when he had more money, he went to Whole Foods.

Though students may not be altering their shopping habits, price inflation is affecting their wallets.

"I have noticed an increase in food prices," said Wollaston's manager Bob Peredna. "The customers have noticed an increase as well, but people have generally continued to buy the same things."

However price disparities among grocery stores do exist. The difference in cost for a gallon of Garelick milk is as much as 60 cents more at Wollaston's than at Stop & Shop.

"It's tough being an independent. We don't have the kind of buying power of larger groceries [to be able to afford buying] more products in bulk and sell them at lower prices. We only have these two stores on campus," Peredna said.

At Stop & Shop, the manager, who requested to have his name withheld, said he, too, has noticed a food price increase.

"[I've noticed the increase] in other places, more so than here," he said. "There's an increase in commodities, so it costs more to make products like cereal from grain, and plastic packaging [from petroleum]. It's a two-fold effect. We still decrease prices through our pricing program to strengthen consumer value."

John Kwoka, professor of economics, said two unprecedented factors have caused the food price increase: there has been a rising demand in China and India for food commodities that Americans are accustomed to acquiring cheaply, and demand for these things increases worldwide, which affects prices in the United States, he said.

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools