Meijer Remains a Back-to-School Destination as Surge in Summertime Back-to-School Sales Begin with Record Start to Season

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., July 31, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- With July in the rearview mirror, families are setting their sights on the new school year by shopping early while keeping their pocketbooks in mind. Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer Meijer says that it will remain a destination this season because business for back-to-school items has consistently doubled over the past few weeks as customers are already checking items off their lists thanks to weekly promotions and price drops on more than 300 of the hottest items, which will continue into September. 

Customer foot traffic over the last few weeks and recent Meijer survey results demonstrate that shoppers are not only shopping early, but plan to maximize their savings by checking items off their lists throughout the next several months. According to its customer survey, 70 percent (up from 60 percent in 2013) said they do not anticipate completing their shopping before school is in session.

"We typically see the biggest surge in back-to-school shopping the weekend before school begins, but we've already seen one of our best seasonal starts as customers are clearly looking for value early in the season," said Peter Whitsett, executive vice president of merchandising and marketing for Meijer. "We anticipate this will continue into the school year this fall because our customers know they can find the hottest trends and classroom essentials at a great, low Meijer price."

More ways to save
As always, sales, promotions and overall low prices are key for families as they plan their shopping lists, and Meijer is stepping up to the plate with deals like weekly price drops as well as 100 back-to-school items priced at just $1 or less, including select notebooks, crayons, glue sticks and binders. Online, digital and mobile savings are increasingly important for shoppers and Meijer is again offering Back-to-School Bucks – available through print and the Meijer digital coupon program, mPerks. Furthermore, customers can customize their own sale and save more than $35 on general merchandise and health and beauty care products the weekend of Aug. 15-16.

Technology rules, but basics still important
Meijer predicts that it will sell more than 14 million pencils this season – that's enough to stretch from the retailer's headquarters in Grand Rapids, Mich., to Mexico City. Notebooks also continue to make it into shopping baskets and Meijer expects to sell 3.5 million over the next several months.

Top trends for the back-to-school shopping season
According to the merchandise buyers and category experts at Meijer, the retailer has all the products to help families stay on top of the following trends.

• Eye-catching accessories and supplies. Licensed products like backpacks, lunch kits and assorted school supplies are ever-popular, with top choices including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Despicable Me, Pokemon, Spiderman and Hello Kitty. For the older student, geometric patterns and neon will be a hit, along with decor like chandeliers and magnetic flowers to personalize their lockers.
• Stylish and comfortable apparel. For junior girls' clothing, bohemian-inspired looks like peasant tops with lace, fringe handbags and floppy hats will be best-sellers, along with geometrics like patterned leggings and athletic-influenced basics. Bright colors, plaid patterns and layering will be popular for both boys and kids outfits.
• Flavorful and fun lunches to go. Parents are putting new twists on school lunch staples like subbing in flatbreads for sandwiches and introducing more southwest flavors. New food containers and reusable snack bags will be popular for managing portions and keeping lunch interesting.
• Protein-rich breakfast options to kick start the day. Shoppers are reaching for energy-boosting, healthy and filling breakfasts, and Meijer offers protein-rich products like yogurt bars, cereal and alternative options like meatless breakfast sausage, soymilk and almond milk.

Meijer is the one-stop shopping destination for Midwest families, offering all the classroom classics and hot accessories to help students achieve success and style this school year.

About Meijer: Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer that operates more than 213 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. As a pioneer of the "one-stop shopping" concept, Meijer stores have evolved through the years to include expanded fresh produce and meat departments, as well as pharmacies, comprehensive electronics departments, garden centers and apparel offerings. For additional information on Meijer, please visit www.meijer.com. Follow Meijer on Twitter @twitter.com/Meijer and @twitter.com/MeijerPR or become a fan at www.facebook.com/meijer.

Contact: Joe Hirschmugl, 616-791-3943 [email protected]

SOURCE Meijer