“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” No, not the Christmas holiday season, it’s back- to-school season when parents are more than ready for the unstructured days of summer to become memories and the Fall reset of schedules, both school and extra-curriculars to begin. Even if one doesn’t have school-aged kids, there’s something about early September that urges us to regroup for Q4 and all the festivities that come with it.
Deloitte’s 19th annual Back-to-School Survey found that parents are seeking value in their shopping journey amid persistently high inflation and weak consumer sentiment. Key takeaways from the survey, which was conducted this past May are: parents are doing the math; parents surveyed plan to spend $557 per child on back-to-school items this season with 31% of them using cost-savings strategies for essentials, even with flat budgets year over year; parents are shopping with intention rather than restraint; and digital engagement spurs higher spending anywhere from non-tech users ($381 spend), to those using all tech tools; search, social media, and gen AI ($737 spend).
Retailers are also ready for the back-to-school season. It’s an opportunity for them to introduce consumers to new meal solutions and give back to those school districts and students who need help making ends meet. The Giant Company (TGC) and Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) are teaming up to make the healthier choice the easier choice, turning everyday grocery runs into support for neighbors facing hunger. From August 21 through September 3, Giant and Martin’s customers can save on participating “GOOD GOOD” better-for-you products which meet the “GOOD GOOD” mission of providing a better-for-you option for families looking to get the school year started right. And with each qualifying purchase, it helps fund healthy food access for families in need.
“Nutrition plays a key role in helping students learn, grow and thrive. We’re proud to work alongside partners who share our commitment to eliminating hunger and are especially grateful to our generous customers for their support,” John MacDonald, chief marketing officer, TGC. “Together, we’re making it easier for children to access the nourishment they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond, while helping families focus on what matters most as they prepare for a new school year.”
The in-store activation is part of a nationwide initiative connecting some of the nation’s most beloved food brands, retailers, and families through better-for-you products, backed by the Guiding Stars nutrition standard. The back-to-school moment is one of the initiative’s first major in-store activations. Here’s how it works. Spend and save; customers who spend $10 on participating GOOD GOOD products at Giant and Martin’s stores will save $5 at checkout. Give back; with each $10 basket of participating products, TGC will make a $5 donation to support PHA’s healthy hunger relief initiatives, committing up to $100,000 to help families in need access healthy food. Every better-for-you basket does double duty: better nutrition for one family, supporting healthy food for another. It’s a win-win!
For those parents looking at cost-saving measures, new meal routines are the perfect opportunity to identify wasteful spending while re-enforcing good nutrition at the start of the school year. Weis Markets’ registered dietitians work directly with shoppers every day. They offer practical guidance on building balanced, budget-friendly lunches kids will actually eat; making the most of the produce and deli departments for quick, nutritious meals; manage picky eaters without adding stress to mealtime and creating healthy habits that last well beyond the first week of school. Whether your audience is looking to save money at the grocery store, simplify weeknight meal planning, or pack nutritious lunches without exceeding their budget, at Weis their registered dietitians can provide practical, actionable tips that parents can put into practice right away. Another win for parents and kids alike!
In other Weis Markets news, earlier this month, the company announced that registration is now open for the sixth annual Weis 4 School program. Pre-k through eighth-grade schools in Weis Markets’ seven-state market area can register now through October 31 of this year for the program, which is expected to generate $500,000 in donations from the Weis Markets Charitable Foundation. Weis 4 School will run through May 31, 2027. Schools and customers can sign up for the program online at www.weis4school.com.
“Our Weis 4 School program makes every shopping trip an opportunity to support education in our local communities,” said Maria Rizzo, Weis Markets vice president of marketing and advertising. “Customers can connect their Weis Rewards card to their registered school. Each qualifying purchase generates a donation, so it’s an easy way to give back.”
Healthy Family Project is helping take the stress out of mealtime with the launch of its 12th annual Back-to-School campaign. Centered around the theme “Real food. Real routines. Real life,” this year’s campaign runs August 3 through September 11 across Healthy Family Project’s website, social media channels, email newsletters, and media partnerships providing families with practical solutions for everything from lunch packing and after-school snacks to quick weeknight dinners – all while encouraging more fresh fruits and vegetables at every meal.
Since launching the Back-to-School campaign in 2014, Healthy Family Project has donated more than $232,000 to organizations that support families and provide nutrition education in schools. Rather than focusing on perfection, the 2026 campaign embraces the realities of busy family life with trusted nutrition advice, simple recipes, meal inspiration, and digital resources created to fit into everyday routines. Throughout the campaign, families will discover fresh ideas designed to make healthy choices feel more attainable during one of the busiest times of the year.
Healthy Family Project has donated more than $8 million to charities benefiting children and families since 2002 and has helped provide more than 22 million meals through Feeding America. Healthy Family Project believes in creating a healthier generation. As a cause marketing organization, Healthy Family Project creates programs, like Produce for Kids, that provide easy, fun, and inspiring recipes and healthy ideas. All schools ranging from pre-K through eighth grade are eligible to participate, including public, private, and religious schools, and daycare centers. Donation checks will be presented after the program concludes on May 31, 2027. To learn more about Healthy Family Project and healthy eating, visit healthyfamilyproject.com.
Do you remember a time when the UPC barcode didn’t exist and each product in the supermarket was tagged by the trusted label gun? I do. I had one that tucked neatly in the waistband of my pants when I worked store sets. Well, along came the single bar code, (which was opposed by every union representing store personnel as the coming of the apocalypse). The UPC bar code was invented by Norman Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver, electrical engineering grad students and instructors at Drexel College of Technology in Philadelphia and patented in the U.S. in 1952. The invention was based on Morse code that was extended to thin and thick bars. It began in 1948 when iconic supermarket retailer Sam Friedland, then president of Philadelphia supermarket chain Food Fair, asked a dean at Drexel University to help him find a way to automate the checkout process and track inventory. The dean’s basic reply: It wasn’t part of the school’s mission. The story goes that Bernard overhead the conversation. He then spoke with Norman. The two decided to solve the problem. And together they made history.
Fast forward to June 26, 1974, and barcodes were first used commercially when a pack of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit gum was scanned at a supermarket in Troy, Ohio. A new dawn was heralded in and that seemed to satisfy everyone…until now. Our thirst for even more (and sometimes useless) information has led to the “new” bar code, the 2D. A 2D (two-dimensional) barcode is a graphic symbol that stores data in both horizontal and vertical directions. Unlike traditional 1D stripe barcodes that only use vertical lines, a 2D barcode uses geometric shapes like squares, dots, and hexagons arranged in a grid. It can hold thousands of characters of information in a very small space. It looks like a QR code, but it’s not the same. The D2 bar code provides greater transparency, stronger traceability, and richer data across every link in the supply chain. This initiative supports retailers by ensuring their POS systems can read and process these next-generation data-packed codes and brands can share more information with their consumers. The 2D barcodes are actively being introduced and tested globally, but they are not fully replacing traditional 1D UPC lines yet. The global retail industry is working toward a transition milestone known as Sunrise 2027, by which major retailers and POS systems are expected to universally accept 2D scanning. I am sure we’ll all be reading much more about this, so keep it here for updates.
Taking another spin around the sun, this hot, hot month of August are Ron H. Murphy, Murphy’s Fresh Markets; Michael Bozzuto, Bozzuto’s; Josh Brown, Brown’s Super Stores; Ricky Pratt, Sprouts Farmers Markets; Marty Delinski, Acme Markets; Charlie Bell, Blue Sea; and Ed Rogers, L&L Brokerage. Buon compleanno a tutti!
Quote of the month: “Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all.” Sam Ewing
Maria can be reached at maria@foodtradenews.com or 443-631-0172