The grocery industry is changing and the Piggly Wiggly stores in Pike County are adapting to that change.

Beginning today, pricing will be “cost plus 10 percent” at the Piggly Wiggly stores on North Three Notch Street and Highway 231 in Troy and the Piggly Wiggly in Brundidge.

All items will be offered at the cost to the stores plus 10 percent.

“This is our response to the change in the industry and our opportunity to give our customers the best possible prices on every item in the stores,” said Steve Garrett, owner and operator of the Piggly Wiggly Highway 231.

“With cost plus 10 percent pricing, every item in the stores will be on sale every day.”

Garrett said the change in pricing will be a savings to customers between eight and 10 percent and possibly more on everyday purchases.

“The savings to our customers is the idea behind the change in pricing,” Garrett said.

“Not only will our customers be able to save more in the grocery store, they will be able to cook what they want. A lot of people shop the ads. If ground beef is on sale, that’s what they cook. If chicken is on sale, that’s what they cook. At the Piggly Wiggly stores, there will be ad pricing throughout the store all the time so our customers can cook what they want, not just what’s on sale.”

The Piggly Wiggly store on North Three Street is owned and operated by Johnny Garrett. The Brundidge Piggly Wiggly is owned and operated by Stanley Garrett.

Steve Garrett said that for about two months, the owners have been working with a large buying group to bring about the change in pricing.

“As tight as money is right now, we realized that price is more of an issue with shoppers than ever before,” he said. “By working with a buying group, we are able to offer our items at cost savings to our customers. We will have displays in the stores showing the savings on certain items so people will be able to see the savings that come through cost plus 10 percent savings.”

Garrett said that there will be no noticeable difference in the layout of the stores. The shelves will be stocked as usual and the groceries will be bagged at the checkout.

“We’re not going to clutter up the stores with boxes stacked everywhere,” Garrett said. “The only noticeable change will be the savings at the checkout.”

The Piggly Wiggly stores will no longer issue Smart Shopper stamps. However, the stamps may be redeemed through the month of August.

“We will have some Smart Shopper items available this month because we do have Smart Shopper stamps out there,” Garrett said. “And, we will continue to have some special deals that we will pass along to our customers in addition to the cost plus 10 percent savings.”

Garrett said the change in pricing is a way for the Piggly Wiggly stores to stay strong during these difficult economic times and, at the same time, offer their customers ad pricing on every item every day.