Target to get into food fight with Wal-Mart

Source: MSNBC/AP

NEW YORK - Target Corp. is going bananas to keep up with Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

The discounter, known for stylish towels and jeans, has long sold groceries. But it is barely holding onto its customers while its chief rival, Wal-Mart, is rapidly picking up new shoppers as its powerful low-cost message resonates in the recession. So Minneapolis-based Target plans to stock more fresh food — including bananas — and play up its low prices.

Meanwhile, Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, is expanding its selection of nonessentials like home furnishings, while improving the quality of its store-brand food like thin-crust pizza and ice cream.

Activist shareholder William Ackman has for several months been using Target’s struggle with Wal-Mart as ammunition to push Target shareholders to change its board at their meeting, to be held Thursday at an unfinished store in Waukesha, Wis. Ackman has said his five picks, including himself, would provide fresh perspective, increase profitability and re-energize the stock, which has dropped 42 percent from its high of $70 in July 2007, though it has rallied since March.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30948820/

Wal,art Walmart. Kmart tried that and all their super stores are now gone! It would be much better to attract customers on quality and service...two things Walmart can't seem to do. For many reasons I don't shop at WM, but the few times I did in the past proved to me that if you are looking for name brand canned goods, you might save a penny or two per can. The WM store brand items I've tried were awful on taste. Their produce looks OK the day you buy it, but starts deteriorating the next day.

It doesn't have much business, though. Compared to our Super Wal*Mart, it is overpriced.

We save about 20 to 30% by shopping at Wal*Mart compared to other supermarkets. We don't like Wal*Mart, but we do most of our shopping there by necessity. We haven't had that trouble with their produce and we like many of the store brands (not all).

Dollar General, Big Lots, & Dollar Tree. They beat everybody on canned goods, cereals, etc. I'm very picky about produce & meats so I watch the sale items and buy less but get what I really want.

but I do buy food at Target and most of their products are considerably cheaper than any grocery store in the area. Adding more fresh foods would be a great incentive for me to go more often, as I truly hate going to the grocery store.

upscale than Wally World, almost as cheap. I don't go to Target for rock-bottom prices, I shop there because they have nicer stuff and better-quality store brand food (Market Pantry, etc.) for reasonable prices. Their beef can be pricey, though--they need to drop the cutesy Yuppie-brand-label stuff and just put out regular store-butchered beef.

like my father told me about my first car- don't fix what ain't broke.

Target seems to be losing customers to Wal-Mart. I find that odd, because most Target customers I know love the place. I always shop at Target, never go near Wal-Mart.

Personally I hope Target doesn't go all cheap try and become Wal-Mart just to compete.

Many of the stores are being remodeled so the floorplan is almost exactly like Target stores. Thats what everyone is saying when I'm inside one of the Walmarts right now. Even the Pharmacy looks straight out of Super Target. And now they have short short shelves.

More like Welcome to Walmart, the knockoff Target.

but their stores are still cluttered and dirty looking. Targets tend to be very clean and organized.

its own version of bingo :)

I knew something was missing from my shopping experience!!

and they are pretty bad. When I lived in the Chicago area, there was a Walmart that I visited only six months after it opened (many years ago) and it already was trashed. I've heard of Walmarts in more rural areas that tend to be clean and organized though.

Being on a fixed income, I have no choice. I must admit, their prices on standard super market items beat most other super market prices by a large margin. Additionally, they will price match any other store coupon. And although they do sell lots of chinese junk, their junk is no different than any other discount store. Sorry to say, it's strictly a matter of finances.

I don't get a Sunday paper, so if they have food in their advertising supplement, I wouldn't know. But I was really surprised when I wandered over to their food department once, willing to pay more for milk to save myself a trip to the grocery store, and found out that it was cheap. They have lots of good deals... but I had just assumed the prices would be marked up rather than down, like in gas stations etc, for the convenience.

Now I'll hold off on buying certain things till I can get to Target--just the opposite of what I would have expected to have to do.

I only go to the grocery store for items I can't get at Target and I'm very surprised at how much more expensive the grocery store is than Target, particularly frozen entrees, tea, and coffee. Even sale items at the grocery store are often more expensive than Target's regular price.

shopping list - Trader Joe's is still No 1 because I know their products don't come from China and their produce is clearly 'country of origin' marked as well as their non-perishables. Trader Joe's store brand is generally better quality than other store brands (their soy milk is the best and usually .20 cheaper). For produce, I shop locally because we have good farmer's markets.

We periodically buy Charles Shaw wine by the case there. $25 a case and the wine is excellent, comparable to far more expensive brands.

At least in Target, one can still find items that are made in the U.S.

:kick: