Local grocery stores see uptick in business with Stop & Shop workers on strike

SOMERSET – In the days since a union worker strike shut down hundreds of Stop & Shops across New England, thousands of supermarket refugees have found themselves roaming the unfamiliar aisle of competing grocery stores.

The sudden shift of customers has been a benefit to other giant chain stores like Shaw’s or Market Basket, but the displacement of Stop & Shop loyalists has also been a boon to the smaller mom-and-pop operations scattered throughout the SouthCoast.

Matt Auclair, part of the familial team that runs Auclair’s Market in Somerset, said his business has benefitted from the union strike.

“Sales have probably increased by 15 to 20 percent during this. When they started on Thursday it wasn’t as crazy, but Friday picked up and it was already a busy day for us,” he said.

Further growing the crowds, Auclair said, are the facts that April school vacations and shoppers seeking items for upcoming Easter and Passover celebrations would have already brought in more people, even without the strike.

“I’ve really got to thank my talented staff,” said Auclair. “We’re not staffed for this. Everyone’s been willing to pitch in and take extra hours or shifts.”

Wednesday marked day seven of the United Food and Commercial Workers union protest, following disputes with Stop & Shop’s owner, Ahold Delhaize, over what constituted a fair contract for workers. While the company was willing to provide pay increases, union members allege the raises don’t even come close to making up for rising health insurance costs company employees are having to contend with.

Stop & Shop released a statement Tuesday on the status of negotiations with the union. The only new information it provided was a confirmation that discussions were still ongoing with the support of federal mediators.

Meanwhile, thousands of Stop & Shop union employees continue to picket at the entrances of stores locally and across the state, urging all passing drivers to take their shopping lists elsewhere.

The Rhode Island-based privately owned grocery chain Tom’s Market is also reporting a boost in sales and customer traffic over the last week. Their Tiverton location is only about two miles away from a Stop & Shop located just across the state border in Fall River.

“I would say we’re probably experiencing a 40 to 50 percent increase in business,” said co-owner Glen Place.  “I’m eternally hopeful they’ll become customers after this because I think we’re a fresh alternative to the other, larger chains.”

Both Place and Auclair said the strike has served as a welcome promotion for their own stores. Both are also hopeful that, by bringing in people who might have shopped with them in the past, new customers will be so enthused that they will become regular customers.

However, the strike hasn’t been without issue for these smaller businesses.

While Auclair noted that having enough people to match the recent customer demand has been a challenge, Place said recent days have been more difficult for ensuring there are enough products to sell the crowds walking in the door.

“With the holiday approaching, a lot of the seasonal items you see for Easter and Passover are flying of the shelves, as well as a lot of the perishables like vegetables, fruits, and fresh meats,” said Place. “Our suppliers are so busy and inundated that it’s causing a lot of shorts on our orders.”

The crowds have also had an impact on each store’s regular customers.

“This is disturbing their normal routine, too,” said Auclair. “We have a very regular customer base and now they’re experiencing much longer lines, so we want to really wow them now with good customer service.”

Email Peter Jasinski at pjasinski@heraldnews.com.