FX168 Financial News (Asia-Pacific) reports that the USA Retail Trade is welcoming a key investment signal for the New Year of 2025, with Walmart, Costco, and Target announcing plans for 2025, committing to expand grocery supply and provide Low Stock Price services for cost-conscious Consumers. The 50-year shopping history in the USA comes to an end, with significant changes in supermarket checkout processes.

In the past 50 years, whether shopping in USA supermarkets or Apparel Stores, cash registers may have scanned barcodes. However, all of this may change in the coming years as retailers abandon 'old-fashioned' linear barcodes in favor of modern square pixel QR codes.

This is according to GS1, the only globally authorized provider of Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) codes — the unique number for each barcode. They claim that the new code can store more information about the Commodity, such as ingredients, potential allergens, and even provide recipe suggestions for foods.

(Source: MSN)

The Street reports that many customers still feel shocked due to the price hikes of many groceries in recent quarters. The overall monthly Consumer Price Index rose by 0.3% in November 2024. Compared to a month ago, the prices of many major Commodities and services increased, including:

Household foods: up 0.4%;

Dining out: up 0.5%;

Energy: increased by 0.2%;

New cars: increased by 0.6%;

Used cars: increased by 2.0%;

Outfits: increased by 0.2%;

Medical Care services: increased by 0.4%;

Housing: increased by 0.3%.

Among the nine staple foods defined by the USA Bureau of Labor Statistics, the price of a dozen eggs had the largest increase in 2023, rising from $2.06 to $3.82, an increase of 85.0%.

Other grocery staples with price increases in 2024 include beef, chicken, tomatoes, whole milk, and bread. The price increases for beef, chicken, tomatoes, and whole milk exceeded the average grocery price increase of 1.3%.

In fact, compared to five years ago (the period before the COVID-19 pandemic), food prices in the USA have generally increased by about 28%.

However, some retailers have become smarter. As prices rise nationwide, large companies, including Walmart and Target, are committed to expanding grocery supply and providing Low Stock Price services for cost-conscious Consumers.

(Source: MSN)

Walmart's management team has been particularly outspoken about its grocery expansion plans. In 2024, this retailer announced it would restore prices for many Commodities, including food, to pre-inflation levels.

Such a decision is beneficial for the Business; Walmart is already the largest grocery retailer in the USA. It has physical stores that can easily maintain this market share, and it continues to expand its online Business, providing delivery services for many customers willing to pay extra for the convenience of quick grocery delivery.

Currently, Walmart has not disclosed the number of Walmart+ customers who pay $98 for free shipping, savings on RBOB Gasoline, and other benefits. The company's CEO, Doug McMillon, recently told investors, "I don’t want it to be some representation of the company’s value."

Although specific figures have not been made public, groceries remain a part of the successful plans for several major retailers in 2025, which is no secret.

Walmart, Target, Trader Joe's, and Costco are all expected to undergo large-scale expansion in 2025. These stores plan to open dozens of new locations in several densely populated and rapidly developing areas in 2025.

Overall, this expansion covers 10 states, which are:

Walmart:

Mountain View, California

Eastville, California

Cypress, Texas

Frisco, Texas

Melissa, Texas

Celina, Texas

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Milton, Florida

Pace, Florida

Sam's Club:

Tempe, Arizona

Target:

South Lake Tahoe, California;

Sapris, Arizona;

Denton, Texas.

Trader Joe's:

North Hills, California.

Sherman Oaks, California.

Tarzana, California.

Seattle, Washington.

Bellingham, Washington.

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania

Staten Island, New York

Hoover, Alabama

Rockville, Maryland

Costco:

Brentwood, California

Genesee County, Michigan

Highland, California

Prosper, Texas

Sharon, Massachusetts

Weatherford, Texas