Grocery trading
Encyclopedia
Grocery trading is an industry, historically not well known by the general public, in which grocery "traders" or grocery trading companies buy and sell (trade) blue chip grocery store
items such as Cheerios
and Alpo
amongst the nation's largest supermarket
chains based on price discrepancies from chain to chain. The manufacturers who produce grocery products are deliberately ambiguous in their selling practices and pricing of their goods using artificial "list prices
" and artificial "special savings" in an effort to fool their customers (buyer
s at large supermarket chains) and maximize their profits.
Because it is to the manufacturers benefit to create an environment of secretive ambiguous pricing they have labeled grocery traders, who are simply making a market based on the inefficiencies their practices create, as "diverters" and have implied and in some cases actually published propaganda
accusing "diverters" not only of engaging in illegal activities but of being closely tied to organized crime
and even terrorism
. Aside from one well documented case involving a grocery trading company in Boca Raton, Florida
in the early 1990s the industry has been virtually unblemished by any large scale scandals.
Unfortunately for grocery traders the money and power behind these large manufacturers has helped them in their efforts to discredit grocery traders and refer to them as grocery "diverters". The Internet promises to lift the "veil of secrecy" regarding wholesale
grocery prices, create a fair market for all members of the grocery community and offer the grocery trading community the respect it deserves.
Grocery store
A grocery store is a store that retails food. A grocer, the owner of a grocery store, stocks different kinds of foods from assorted places and cultures, and sells these "groceries" to customers. Large grocery stores that stock products other than food, such as clothing or household items, are...
items such as Cheerios
Cheerios
Cheerios is a brand of breakfast cereal by General Mills introduced on May 1, 1941 as the first oat-based, ready-to-eat cold cereal. Originally named CheeriOats, the name was changed to Cheerios in 1945 because of a trade name dispute with Quaker Oats. The name fit the "O" shape of the cereal pieces...
and Alpo
Alpo (pet food)
Alpo is an American brand of dog food marketed and manufactured by the Nestlé Purina Petcare subsidiary of Nestlé. The brand is offered as a canned or packaged soft food, as well as in dry kibbles.-History:...
amongst the nation's largest supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
chains based on price discrepancies from chain to chain. The manufacturers who produce grocery products are deliberately ambiguous in their selling practices and pricing of their goods using artificial "list prices
Suggested retail price
The manufacturer's suggested retail price , list price or recommended retail price of a product is the price which the manufacturer recommends that the retailer sell the product. The intention was to help to standardise prices among locations...
" and artificial "special savings" in an effort to fool their customers (buyer
Buyer
When someone gets characterised by their role as buyer of certain assets, the term "buyer" gets new meaning:A "buyer" or merchandiser is a person who purchases finished goods, typically for resale, for a firm, government, or organization...
s at large supermarket chains) and maximize their profits.
Because it is to the manufacturers benefit to create an environment of secretive ambiguous pricing they have labeled grocery traders, who are simply making a market based on the inefficiencies their practices create, as "diverters" and have implied and in some cases actually published propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
accusing "diverters" not only of engaging in illegal activities but of being closely tied to organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
and even terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
. Aside from one well documented case involving a grocery trading company in Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA, incorporated in May 1925. In the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 74,764; the 2006 population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 86,396. However, the majority of the people under the postal address of Boca Raton, about...
in the early 1990s the industry has been virtually unblemished by any large scale scandals.
Unfortunately for grocery traders the money and power behind these large manufacturers has helped them in their efforts to discredit grocery traders and refer to them as grocery "diverters". The Internet promises to lift the "veil of secrecy" regarding wholesale
Wholesale
Wholesaling, jobbing, or distributing is defined as the sale of goods or merchandise to retailers, to industrial, commercial, institutional, or other professional business users, or to other wholesalers and related subordinated services...
grocery prices, create a fair market for all members of the grocery community and offer the grocery trading community the respect it deserves.