Grocery Outlet in Seaside offers relief to shoppers during holiday season

SEASIDE, Calif. (KION-TV): With the holiday season in full swing, shopping can be stressful and expensive. The Grocery Outlet store in Seaside decided to give their customers some relief Saturday.

Bud Kottman, the independent operator of the store wanted his customers to feel less holiday spending pressure. 

“There was a meme that came out around Thanksgiving time for Black Friday and it said everyone is giving away big screen TVs. Why don't you ever put groceries on sale,” Kottman said. “And so we took that to heart. We actually did a Facebook post. We asked people what are the things right now that you would like to see put on sale?” 

Many items at the grocery outlet in Seaside were sold for “buy one, get one half off.”

Kottman also said this is the first time he’s ever done this for the holidays. 

According to the USDA, all food prices are predicted to increase by nearly 6% this year.

And while inflation is slowing, the extra savings meant a lot to shoppers. Just like Pam Burke. 

“To get this additional discount, you can make your dollars go even farther,” Burke said. “My shopping carts over there and it's completely full. I actually did a whole bunch of stocking stuffers for my two kids. They're in high school and college. But, the toothpaste has great value in their health and beauty department. And my husband loves good wine.” 

To prepare, employees, like Nayeli Lopez, worked hard to make sure shelves were fully stocked.

“I was kind of scared and stressed out because we had to make sure we ordered enough,” Lopez said. “That way we don't end up with the store being empty.” 

Amy Spencer is a teacher who decided to stock up not only on items for herself, but also for her classroom. 

“I am all about stretching my dollar,” Spencer said. “So I am here to buy some of the staples for myself. But with this buy one gets one sale. I am going to load my cart because at my school we keep a kind of a pantry of extra food. And so this is the perfect opportunity for me to stock our supply at school.” 

The buy one, get one half off deal ends at 9p.m. on Saturday and excludes dairy items as well as some meats, cheeses, and fish, according to Grocery Outlet.