Stores Facing Hard Sell to Refill Aisles
By James F. Peltz
Times Staff Writer

February 25, 2004

When the supermarket strike ends, another headache will begin for the major grocery chains in Central and Southern California. They'll have to deal with the likes of Ronnie Bertrand.

The 69-year-old Bakersfield resident, a self-described "person who doesn't like change," was a longtime Vons patron until picket lines sent her to check out alternative aisles. At some point after the strike began 4½ months ago, Vons lost her to a Foods Co. store in her neighborhood.

"As time went on, I found I was spending less money," Bertrand said. Once the pickets are gone, she might visit Vons to buy fresh vegetables, she added, but "I really think I'm going to continue shopping at Foods Co."

Luring back once-loyal customers will be a major task for Vons, Pavilions, Ralphs and Albertsons. A new Los Angeles Times poll indicates they have their work cut out: Among people who shopped at the three chains before the labor dispute, 59% said they had stopped shopping there during the picketing. And 14% of the chains' total pre-strike customers said they would continue to shop elsewhere after a settlement.

In the competitive supermarket business, that is a big percentage. As negotiations with the United Food and Commercial Workers union wrapped up their 14th straight day Tuesday, fueling hope in some quarters that the labor dispute may soon end, the markets were already plotting to regain the allegiance of customers they've lost.