Navigating Grocery Store Sales Cycles
Do you ever wonder when you stock up on grocery stores sales, and when you should simply pass them by? When you understand grocery store sales cycles, you'll eliminate the confusion surrounding shopping and equip yourself with the tools necessary to maximize grocery store sales.
Everyone knows that produce is generally cheapest during its growing season. But what about non-perishable items? Typically, grocery stores' prices will cycle every 12-15 weeks. At one point during that period, the price will be at its highest. On the other end on that cycle, the price will be at its lowest. Savvy grocery shoppers will stock up on a 3-4 month supply of these items when they see the price hit rock bottom.
Grocery store sales cycles are influenced by availability, promotions, holidays, and other consumer trends.
Common Grocery Store Sales Cycles
What's on Sale During January
- Fruits: Oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit
- Veggies: Celery, carrots, cauliflower, cabbage
- Diet foods, oatmeal (National Oatmeal Month)
- Pre-Superbowl: Snacks like chips, salsa, pretzels, buffalo wings, appetizers, and soda
What's on Sale During February
- Valentines Day: Candy, Valentine's Day themed boxed cake mixes, cookie mixes, etc.
- National canned food month
- National hot breakfast month
What's on Sale During March
- St. Patrick' Day: Corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, carrots
- Frozen foods (National Frozen Food Month)
What's on Sale During April
- Easter ham, potatoes
- Kosher foods
- Eggs
What's on Sale During May
- Cinco de Mayo: Mexican foods
- Pre-Memorial Day Sales: Buns, hot dogs, meats for grilling, ketchup, mustard, pickle relish, sodas
- Fruit: Cherries, pineapples, apricots
What's on Sale During June
- Meats for grilling, soda, other summer theme items like ice cream, hot dogs, and chips
- Dairy products
- Fruit: Berries like raspberries, strawberries, blueberries
- Veggies: Corn, lettuce
What's on Sale During July
- Meats for grilling
- Ice Cream (National Ice Cream Month)
- Fruit: Watermelon, strawberries, blueberries, peaches, apricots, kiwi, raspberries, plums, tomatoes
- Veggies: Cucumbers, summer squash, corn, green beans, lettuce
What's on Sale During August
- back to school: Lunchables, drink boxes, snacks, etc.
- Fresh fish
- Fruit: Watermelon, strawberries, cantaloupe, peaches, tomatoes
- Veggies: Cucumbers, corn, tomatoes, summer squash, green beans, lettuce
What's on Sale During September
- Fruit: apples
- Veggies: Pumpkins, tomatoes
What's on Sale During October
- Candy for Halloween
- Fruit: Cranberries, apples, pomegranates, grapes
- Vegetables: Sweet potatoes, pumpkins, winter squash, broccoli, spinach, lettuce
What's on Sale During November
- Leftover candy from Halloween (freeze to use in holiday baking)
- Thanksgiving: Turkey, stuffing, cranberries, green beans, jell-o, etc.
- Baking supplies: Sugar, flour, frosting, nuts, etc.
What's on Sale During December
- Baking supplies: Sugar, flour, frosting, nuts, etc.
- Holiday Meats: Turkey, ham, beef brisket
- Veggies: Sweet potatoes, mushrooms, potatoes, canned veggies
Source: When to Buy What: Grocery Sales Calendar
Tools to Track Grocery Sales Cycles
Keeping a Grocery Price Book either on your smartphone or in small spiral notebook in your purse will help you track prices for the grocery items you buy most often. That way, when you see a deal you'll know whether it's something you should stock up on.
There are also lots of Grocery Store Shopping Apps available to download from Amazon to help you keep track of Grocery Store Sales and Grocery Sale Cycles.
Related forum discussions:
So, because there are 50 million grocery store apps I was wondering which one you use and why?
Amanda – I created my own spreadsheet using Google Drive. More on that here: Creating a Grocery Price Book