ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Wegmans Food Markets here said Thursday it would freeze prices on a range of items from Jan. 8 through April 28, following an 11-month price freeze that the company said cost it $8 million in 2011.
This year's list includes 223 SKUs of more than 50 different commonly used products, Wegmans said, mostly under its own brand.
"Customers wrote us, or stopped us in the store, to say how much easier it was to budget and shop knowing they could count on prices for an extended period of time," said Colleen Wegman, president, in a statement. "With that kind of feedback, there was no question that we would come back with another list, but we thought it was important to include what customers purchase at this time of year."
Last year the company froze prices on about 40 different products.
Twenty-seven of the items on that original list are also on the new list, and 25 new items have been added. New seasonal items include canned soups, oranges, and several cough and cold OTC medications. It also incorporates categories that were not part of last year's list, like bread and paper products.
Some items did not carry over to the new list, the company said, because costs have risen so much "it was no longer prudent for Wegmans to guarantee a retail price." Examples are peanut butter, canned tuna, and coffee.
