A small, sweet victory in the battle of 'us' against 'them'

A 3-pound bag of New Jersey sweet potatoes was $2.69, according to a sign at the ShopRite in Hackensack, but during checkout, it rang up at $2.99.

By Victor E. Sasson
Editor

Why does food shopping often feel like it's a battle of "us" against "them"?

I don't include Costco Wholesale or Trader Joe's in that assessment, but even a great store like Whole Foods Market disappoints every once in a while.

The other day, I saw a sign at the Paramus Whole Foods offering local, bi-color sweet corn, but when I got the 4 ears home and shucked them, they weren't bi-color and, when I steamed them, they weren't sweet.

What should I have done? Dropped dinner preparations, jumped in the car and returned them? Take the cooked ears back the next day?

On Sunday, only one employee was working at the Courtesy Counter of the Hackensack ShopRite on South River Street. Shoppers buy cigarettes and lottery tickets there, as well.

One of shoppers' biggest pet peeves is when stores don't update their computers to accurately reflect price signs on shelves and in the produce section.

At the Hackensack ShopRite, if you have such a problem at check-out and notice it in the store, the cashier can't make an adjustment.

You have to go to the Courtesy Counter, as I found out on Sunday, when 3 pounds of Top Crop Sweet Potatoes rang up at $2.99, not the $2.69 on the sign.

There were three or four other people in front of me at the Courtesy Counter and the employee had to call produce to confirm the price, but I got my $2.99 back, meaning the sweet potatoes were free.

My only other purchases were 2 jumbo cantaloupes on sale for 99 cents each.