Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Peddling hype at the supermarket

Premium is a word some supermarkets love to use, even though it is meaningless. All natural is a phrase favored by food producers who are trying to hide the unnatural things they do to the animals they raise.

You'll find lots of similar words and phrases in the sale circulars of North Jersey supermarkets, including A&P and Pathmark. (A&P owns Pathmark.)

Pathmark says its marinated top round London broil, sliced chicken breast and rotisserie chicken are "gold quality." So is the domestic Swiss cheese it sells. There's no indication that the beef or poultry are raised on vegetarian feed and without antibiotics or growth hormones.

At A&P, 1855-brand boneless center-cut pork chops are "all natural, premium." The Angus boneless top round London broil is "premium gold," but only USDA Choice, the middle grade of three used to classify beef. Marinated meats are "gold quality" and Plumrose sliced bacon is described as "premium." Again, we are told nothing about how the animals were raised or whether the bacon has harmful preservatives

A&P's circular trumpets "See Red & Save," referring to "Red Tag Savings." Circulars that are filled with hype are just making me see red.

2 comments:

  1. A&P sets very high standards for its private label meats.

    Premium Gold Angus is a brand of USDA choice, angus beef, that for taste and tenderness, just can not be beat.

    America's Choice Gold Quality products have replaced certain Master Choice product lines in produce and seafood such as shrimp, but has now been expanded to include boneless chicken breasts and thighs. This is high quality selected chicken. Their Green Way chicken is all natural.

    So you got so many choices at A&P, Pathmark, SuperFresh, Waldbaums and Food Emporium. The best tasting meats at fantastic savings. Why shop anywhere else?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Do you work for A&P? As far as I know, Angus beef is raised with antibiotics, growth hormones and so forth. Those are not high standards.

    ReplyDelete

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