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(36 posts)

safeway rant

Started 2 years ago by c
Latest reply from MrJT

c
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I asked safeway where there "local" peaches were from. They were from California. This didn't sit well with me. Especially after I read this:

http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/content?oid=1036032

I went in and talked to managers 3 over 6 days. They all said the signs needed to come down. They are only used on products from Washington state.

I'm sure you know where this is going. The signs never came down. But they now are selling local peaches so now they can advertise them as local.

they are also now $1.99 a lb instead of the .98 cents lb that the CA peaches were.

If you took time to read the article Safeway just tried to cash in on the buy local movement.

Posted 2 years ago #
JoB
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i read the tag on the fruit and if it isn't local it isn't local:(

at High point farmstand i know what is sold is local because i am buying it where it was grown.

Posted 2 years ago #
WesCAddle
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Mistake #1: Going to Safeway for produce or meat.

Posted 2 years ago #
GenHillOne
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Yeah, I do same as JoB. Learned from another news story way back that different chains have different definitions of local. And the neighborhood stores might not have a lot of wiggle room on some product they carry. Just can't beat Safeway on prices for some things, so I break my grocery shopping up and load up when I can.

Posted 2 years ago #
johnnyblegs
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I agree with WesCAddle. I NEVER buy meat at Safeway. It's just one of those things that I expect to pay more for.
I'm not sure if this is common knowledge, but the Morgan Thriftway is the ONLY store in WS that actually manufactures their own cuts of meat from the animal. Every other store gets it pre-fab somewhere in a warehouse distribution center. I LOVE the Thriftway meat department! Fantastic quality.
I just go across the bridge and buy my produce at McFearson's on Beacon Hill. Way cheaper than the grocery isle. You may have to sift through some of the bins for the quality items but well worth the trip over.

Posted 2 years ago #
MrJT
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How do you "manufacture" meat ?

Posted 2 years ago #
johnnyblegs
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Safeway & QFC get the pieces in already pieced out into steaks and ribs, etc. and who knows when that happened. Thriftway has the means to process all of those cuts themselves, which I think produces a fresher product.

Posted 2 years ago #
MrJT
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johnnyblegs, thanks for the clairification I thought it was worse than it is.

Posted 2 years ago #
CMP
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I buy meat and produce at Safeway all the time and have never had a problem. What's wrong with it besides it being prepackaged already? I guess I'm one of those weird people that could care less where their food comes from, so long as it's cheap!

Posted 2 years ago #
bsmomma
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I am like CMP. But I do have to say that my husband came home with some hamburger from the Fauntleroy Thriftway and there was a DRAMATIC difference. You could definitly tell it was amazingly fresher and there wasn't much fat to drain. Safeway is good. COSTCO hamburger is nasty. "False" advertising is never a good thing. But atleast the Peaches were just from California and not Jamaica or something.

Posted 2 years ago #
johnnyblegs
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But you should care where your food comes from! Supporting local Washington produce farms & buying locally produced goods benefits Washington's growth.

I think everyone should question Safeway's Rancher Reserve meats & their guarantee to be tender no matter how you cook it. Natural meat just isn't like that.

http://www.safeway.com/IFL/Grocery/Summer-Ranchers-Reserve#iframetop
"The Rancher's Reserve™ tenderness guarantee is simple. Rancher's Reserve™ beef is guaranteed to cook up consistently tender and juicy every time. If not, we'll give your money back, and replace your steak. That's how confident we are in our quality and your enjoyment."

Posted 2 years ago #
blue
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They had a bunch of cantalopes under a sign which said "Locally Grown." I checked, and the melons were from Mexico. Not even grown in this country!What they are doing is completely deceptive. Are they just hoping we believe what they are telling us and don't look to check where the stuff is actually from?

Posted 2 years ago #
SarahScoot
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I definitely care where my food, esp. produce and meat, is coming from. I don't shop at Safeway anyway, but if I did I wouldn't buy produce/meat there. I also avoid produce at Trader Joe's for the same reasons. The WS Farmer's Market is excellent, of course, for local organic produce and meat. Thriftway also has nice produce, though it's definitely pricey.
I won't get into the ethics of always just shopping where it's cheapest, or not caring where your food comes from, because I know that some people need the lowest cost items. But please know that there is a greater cost to always choosing "cheap."

Posted 2 years ago #
EmmyJane
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Safeway consistently has horrible produce in my opinion. I'm so glad that QFC is coming in within walking distance to have another option.

Here is a helpful site to find good meat (I'm a vegetarian myself, but I've long since learned I'm not going to convince anyone to stop eating meat, but sometimes people are willing to buy from farms that treat their animals better):

http://www.eatwild.com/

Posted 2 years ago #
ellenater
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Agreed about WS Thriftway's meat! Their meat department is top notch. The fish is also really good. We are always blown away by how good it tastes compared to other places.

Posted 2 years ago #
JenV
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I haven't bought produce at Safeway since the time when I tried to buy garlic there and every bulb was dusty and black with mold. When I asked the produce manager if they had any garlic in back that wasn't moldy, he shrugged his shoulders and said "no." NASTY. they obviously don't hire people who care about the produce. and they're engaging in a deceptive practice, advertising "local" when it's not. wonder what else they intentionally mis-label...hmm, does this burger taste like horse to you? ;)

Thriftway is the best for produce, meats, fish...it's just really expensive. I try to buy local, organic, etc as much as possible - and it's reflected in my receipt. QFC is also good, and a lot cheaper than T-way.

Posted 2 years ago #
transplantella
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Ugh! to the junction Safeway.

The produce is usually wilted, aged, unripe, and otherwise generally terrible.

The ground beef is godawful in all its forms. I NEVER buy meat there.

The store is a wreck. Empty shelves, lots of products without prices--and those new pricing signs? The ones with the price if you buy some 10 items of whatever kind become one price, or it may be on sale, or it's regular price if you don't buy 10 of whatever those things are--I hate them. I just want to know how much that thing costs, ok?

The confusing layout. No matter how may times I've been there I still can't find the chips.

I have all but quit shopping in that store. The new QFC is going to send them under.

Posted 2 years ago #
beachdrivegirl
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I got in a fight with a manager of a Safeway store once b/c I explained that they were stacking there fruit wrong. My family is in the agricutlure business in the Yakima Valley. One day @ the store they were mixing the organic and nonorganic fruit. I explained that it was against there agreements made with the marketing/sales offices of the fruit. The guy tried to tell me I was wrong. I explained no, my family is in the in business, and I know what is and is not in the agreements and I also know that you can be fined for doing what you are doing. He finally just shrugged his shoulders and walked away. Terrible customer service, I took a picture and sent it to my dad. Not sure if anything happened with it but I do know it was against there dealer agreements.

Posted 2 years ago #
carter
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I don't go near Safeway anymore. Other than "loss leaders", prices across the board are more expensive than Met Market, Thriftway, and QFC. Keep it up beachdrivegirl and c. Safeway's produce isn't worth the gas to go there. I walked into Tony's Vegetable stand yesterday and walked out empty handed. I couldn't believe how much the prices had gone up. The Farmers Market is the way to go but it's only once a week. So, if I want quality in between, I go to Morgan Thriftway or Met Market. Yes, you pay for the quality but hey it's the only body you've got. Treat it well! Consider "Slow Food" eating and everyone benefits - except the corporate farmers and markets.

Posted 2 years ago #
Leroniusmonkfish
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EmmyJane - Thanks for the link...from farms that treat their animals better...before they slaughter them.

When I lived in WS until last March I would go to the Met Market typically for meat & seafood. Here in AZ the Bashas' markets are going out of business and they buy and support the local growers yet can't compete with the Safeways and other large chains who truck in their produce, meat, etc. from other states/countries.

I used to refer to the Safeway(s) as "7-11's on steroids"...

Posted 2 years ago #
WesCAddle
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Don't get me wrong, I love going to Safeway for certain items. I really like the Safeway Signature products...they have some great soups also. The price difference is substantial when you compare two of the same products (bread, canned goods, snacks, beer, etc) and you can save a lot of money at Safeway in that regard. But when it comes to fresh products like meat, veggies, or produce the quality at Safeway is just plain terrible.

Posted 2 years ago #
EmmyJane
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Leronius- like I said, I'm not going to convince anyone to stop eating meat (aka, stop the slaughter of animals) but people seem more receptive to ensuring animals have a good life up until they're ready to be eaten. That's better than nothing for me, so if I can promote that, so be it.

Posted 2 years ago #
Leroniusmonkfish
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Local cantaloupes? The mango, lemon, lime and grapefruit trees in WS are getting out of hand.

Posted 2 years ago #
Leroniusmonkfish
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Thanks EmmyJane...I still wonder why I crave the flesh of animals? Seafood seems a bit more acceptable than mammals but not by much. If only there was a recipe book for being "Pure"...to ourselves, Gods creatures and to Mother Earth.

Posted 2 years ago #
Kimberley
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Wow - I wonder if Safeway know how much their stores differ across the country. When I lived in the D.C. Metro area, I sought out the Safeway in Ballston and the Whole Foods in Georgetown because they had excellent produce and carried my favourite Union Jack's salsa (can't find it anywhere now). When I moved here, I was appalled at the produce and meat available at Safeway and stayed clear (unless it was for general pantry items which are cheaper than at Met Market). I tend to frequent Met Market, Tony's, Farmer's Market (even Tacoma Boys) for produce and meat, but never Safeway - their produce is horrid, often rotting and not worth the money. Conversely, the Safeway in Maple Valley (which I tend to frequent every Friday evening has excellent produce).

Thanks for the tip about the meat at Thiftway, I'll have to swing by there more often.

Posted 2 years ago #
OlMom
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This thread has gone a bit astray from the original complaint but I have to say it is one of the more interesting ones I have read. I rarely buy produce or meat at Safeway either. I always go to Met Market to buy those items but now I am intriqued by the possibility of going to Thriftway even though it is on the other side of WS for me. I will also add if you are going to shop at Safeway - the Admiral Safeway is far superior to the Jefferson Square. Jefferson Square is in general a mess from the lousy parking lot to the fact there is some weird "head" shop there.

Posted 2 years ago #
transplantella
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"Jefferson Square is in general a mess from the lousy parking lot to the fact there is some weird "head" shop there."

That is a legal tobacco store that also sells other bits and bobs as is the custom with asians.

It is owned by a lovely Korean couple who work six days a week and are the nicest people you'd ever want to meet. Sadly, the government seems hellbent on putting them out of business.

Posted 2 years ago #
GenHillOne
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Actually, I like the Roxbury Safeway best of the three and think it's worth the extra drive for my big "stock-up" trips. Plenty of space in the parking lot and aisles, and great Asian and Hispanic food sections. Maybe not as much as you'd find at a specialty store, but way more than at your usual grocery. The layout is a little different than the two WS, so it took me a few trips to get my list organized right, but I'm used to it now. As I said before, I generally get my produce somewhere other than (any) Safeway, but will have to start checking Roxbury's signage to see what they do.

Posted 2 years ago #
JenV
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there's a head shop in Jefferson Square? Where the hell have I been? ;)

oh, and since no one else has brought it up yet...wouldn't it be great it that Safeway was replaced by a Trader Joes?

let the games begin.

Posted 2 years ago #
angelescrest
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Why has PCC not been mentioned? If you're going to pay Met prices, why not PCC?

Posted 2 years ago #
MargL
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In my 13 years in WS I've only been in the Admiral Safeway twice and the Junction Safeway a handful of times. My shopping experiences at both were disappointing enough (for various reasons listed above) that I've never wanted to go back. If I'm in the Admiral area I go to Met Market.
I think Roxbury Safeway is the newest of the 3, having been remodeled from a Fred Meyers(?) so maybe that's why it seems cleaner in comparison?
They also do the whole 'local' produce thing but I haven't actually compared the labels on the produce vs. what the signs say. Used to have more problems with the produce but things have gotten better. One thing I have done is return the produce and gotten a refund or exchange. I specifically remember cutting open an orange and having it be dry inside. So I put it back in a bag and the next day returned it for a new one, no problem.
I've also never had a problem with the meat there. Ribeyes from Safeway have been just as tasty as the ribeyes from Thriftway.

Posted 2 years ago #
JoB
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i frequent the Roxbury Safeway.. but check labels on everything i buy .. or don't.. these days. the asian/mexican section there has some items i buy at prices i can't find elsewhere ...

Posted 2 years ago #
Jiggers
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In response to post #3 and #5, I go to Tukwila Trading Co. down on Pac hwy to buy my meat,eggs and produce at. There is nothing wrong with the meats their and they are way cheaper than Safeway or any other major grocery store.

Posted 2 years ago #
MrJT
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Jiggers, your a brave man.

Posted 2 years ago #
JoB
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Tukwilla Trading Company?

Is this another place worth checking out?

MrJT.. how scary? Should i bring the dogs IN the store with me?

Posted 2 years ago #
MrJT
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Its on 144th and Pacific Hiway. The old Larrys Market. And its a DUMP

Posted 2 years ago #