Schnuck Markets is now giving its Schnucks Rewards customers the option to get e-receipts through email or the grocer's app to reduce waste and person-to-person contact, while also boosting membership in the loyalty program. You can read the full story here.

J. Rieger & Co. worked with a medical supplier to obtain the masks. The donation will be used to supply hospitals, government offices, public transportation, first responders and more. You can read the full story here.

Wednesday September 9th 1pm-2pm

The coronavirus pandemic presented great challenges to grocery retailers faced with providing in-demand products to their shoppers. An overwhelming surge in demand put great pressure on traditional supply chains, compelling grocers to seek out alternative, creative avenues for many products. Solutions included tapping the waylaid foodservice channel, as well as many local vendors that seized the opportunity to partner with retailers and broaden their public exposure on store shelves.

Register here.

Small businesses especially are feeling the pinch of COVID-19. Many shoppers and retailers are turning to local products, many of which are made here in Missouri.

You can visit buymissouri.net, a statewide program highlighting Missouri businesses. This initiative was launched by Gov. Mike Parson during his time as lieutenant governor and is now led by Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe.

Local business owners can sign up to be placed on the directory, and consumers can use the search feature to discover Missouri made products. Several Buy Missouri products can be found in area grocery stores.

The MGA is proud to partner with Buy Missouri and promote Missouri made products. 

Independent grocers in the southern half of the Midwest have faced COVID-19 pandemic challenges similar to their counterparts in other regions. They have endured many stressful months but also have thrived under challenging conditions.

The Shelby Report recently spoke with Missouri retailers Joe Polizzi with Town & Country Supermarket Inc. and Kevin McVeigh of Mac's Super Saver, as well as The MGA Executive Director Dan Shaul, about their experiences and outlook for the remainder of 2020. Check out the full story here.

Workers may be threatened and assaulted as businesses try to put into place COVID-19 prevention policies and practices (e.g., mandatory use of masks, social distancing, and limits on the number of customers allowed in a business). These threats and assaults can come from customers, other employees, or employers.

Based on a 1996 Current Intelligence Bulletin, threats and assaults can happen in any workplace, but may be more likely to occur in retail, services (e.g., restaurants), and other customer- or client-based businesses.

The CDC has launched a webpage which offers strategies to limit violence towards workers that may occur when businesses put in place policies and practices to help minimize the spread of COVID-19 among employees and customers. You can view more here.

President Trump issued an executive order this past weekend to divert disaster money to re-start enhanced unemployment insurance (UI) benefits that expired last month and suspend collection of payroll taxes for some workers. Democrats and some Republicans cried foul, arguing that Trump lacks the constitutional authority to govern by fiat. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin says he thinks Democrats want to compromise but criticized their demand for $1 trillion in aid for state and local governments.

Negotiators remained deadlocked after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the White House rejected her $2.4 trillion offer – a trillion less than her previous proposal – on Friday. Democrats said they would reduce their original ask if Republicans would raise theirs by the same amount. GOP negotiators rejected the deal.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has posted a document to its website containing technical questions and answers for retailers interested in participating in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) online purchasing. The document includes frequently-asked questions regarding SNAP online transactions, refunds, interoperability amongst states, and more. USDA opened up the application process to all retailers and states at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and almost all 50 states have launched to date.

NGA is advocating for provisions that would make it more feasible for independents to participate in SNAP online purchasing to be included in the next COVID-19 bill that Congress is currently negotiating. Click here to read FNS’ SNAP online Q&As, which may be updated as additional technical questions are received.

Our Government Relations team has been working with grocery industry leaders to make sure that four key priorities for independent grocers are included in the next coronavirus relief package.

With the introduction of the House and Senate versions of the next relief package and the start of bipartisan negotiations, it is more important than ever that Members of Congress hear from you.

Urge your Members of Congress to tell leadership to protect independent businesses from frivolous lawsuits, reward essential frontline workers, strengthen federal nutrition programs, and fix unemployment compensation in the Phase Four COVID-19 relief

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Grocery store prices for all categories of food except for fresh fruit increased by 5.6 percent compared to this time last year, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service’s Food Price Outlook. The increases are largely attributed to supply chain disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Adapting to the supply chain transitions caused by stay-at-home orders placed upward pressure on retail prices. Dairy, poultry, and meat products were particularly affected by the price changes.