H-E-B Slashes Prices

H-E-B recently reduced prices on more than 5,000 national-brand and private-label products. To identify the savings, the chain is using shelf tags for specific products and encouraging employees -- dubbed "low-price ambassadors" -- to help shoppers find others, according to published reports. Circular features direct shoppers to the shelf tags, which carry "on sale" and "now costs less" messages. Endcap headers also tout the savings. (See Image at right.)Seasonal ActivityStores with Cafe on the Run prepared foods sections tapped into Valentine's Day with stanchion signs bearing a "Love at first bite" message. (See Image at right.) Elsewhere, H-E-B employed an "Amor for Less" slogan in circulars and online, where consumers could print $32 worth of Valentine's Day coupons. The offers included a free Mylar balloon with purchase of a $10 stuffed animal, a free vase with flower-bouquet purchase, and $5 off a $25 gift card with a $10 floral purchase.P&G provided the chain with an account-specific program that leveraged the packaged goods maker's U.S. Olympic Team sponsorship to offer a $10 Visa gift card by mail with purchase of $25 in eligible products. (See Image at right.)As it has done in recent years (see "H-E-B Airs Super Ad" in Related Articles), the chain ran regional TV spots during CBS' coverage of the National Football League's Super Bowl on Feb. 7. This year's two ads featured, respectively, Houston division president Scott McClelland and child actors pushing the chain's price- and Texas-focused messages. Visitors to H-E-B's website were given sneak previews of the spots before the game.The site also offered instructions for holding a "Game Day Appetizer Party," providing snack recipes and spotlighting private-label Hill Country Fare products, Wilton decorations and Kraft Foods' Wheat Thins and Planters. Circular features invited shoppers to "Get Your Game On For Less" by earning $31 in private-label products with purchase of an outdoor grill for $89.97.H-E-B also joined regional organizations, media outlets and even supermarket rivals Kroger and Safeway's Randalls in the Houston area to support the annual "Souper Bowl of Caring" food drive. Elsewhere, the chain marked the beginning of the Christian season of Lent in February with circular features spotlighting such "Lenten Favorites" as Gorton's fish sticks, Mercado Latino's Sol-Mex canned sardines and private-label Hill Country Fare mayonnaise.CircularsRecent offers in the chain's ongoing "Meal Deal" program included: free private-label tortilla chips, two-liter bottle of soda, dip and pizza snacks; Kraft barbecue sauce; and an IMUSA salsa dish with purchase of private-label Hill Country Fare chicken wings and Fully Cooked boneless "wingteasers" (or premium smoked sausage ring). free Chiquita Brands' Fresh Express coleslaw; Pampa Foods' Pampa vegetable oil; two-liter bottle of Big Red soda; and private-label macaroni and cheese, tartar sauce, packaged fish fry and charro beans with purchase of two pounds of fresh catfish or tilapia fillets.Recent free offers in the chain's "Combo Loco" program included: a four-pack of Del Monte fruit cups with purchase of an eight-pack of Nestlé's Juicy Juice. Nestlé Coffee-mate creamer and private-label Sabor Tradicional Surtido Rico cookies with purchase of Nestlé's Nescafe Clasico. private-label pecan treasures cookies with purchase of Fully Cooked popcorn chicken. a package of H-E-B-brand American cheese with purchase of Sara Lee's Hillshire Farm lunchmeat. Hill Country Fare tuna fish and pickle relish with purchase of a Kraft mayonnaise brand. a package of Kraft's Oscar Mayer Lunchables with purchase of Fully Cooked chicken breast chunks or popcorn chicken.In other activity, H-E-B Plus superstores cross-promoted food and general merchandise in a variety of free-with-purchase offers: ConAgra Foods' Ro-Tel diced tomatoes and private-label Easy Melt, tortilla chips and ground chuck with purchase of a Rival four-quart slow cooker for $14.97. a package of Fully Cooked hamburgers with purchase of a George Foreman indoor/outdoor grill for $66.97. a 12-pack of private-label soda, tortilla chips and chunky salsa with purchase of Hasbro's Twister, Battleship, Jenga or Bop it! game.Plus stores also offered Bimbo Bakeries' Oroweat bread and Kraft's eponymous mayonnaise or Miracle Whip with purchase of a package of Oscar Mayer lunchmeat; and a free Char-Griller Wrangler outdoor grill with purchase of an Ashley recliner for $299.

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