Although meat department tonnage was up significantly in 2009, profits are lagging as shoppers opt for less expensive value-oriented cuts, according to results revealed in the fifth edition of the joint “Power of Meat” study.

A major part of the 97,000-square-foot Harrisburg, Pa., Giant Super Food Store’s energy savings and reduced carbon footprint comes from the cutting-edge refrigeration systems from Conyers, Ga.-based Hill PHOENIX.

Against a trying backdrop of persistently weak economic conditions, fierce competition and financially wary shoppers, supermarket produce departments faced much harsher headwinds during the past 12- month period than they have in recent years, as evidenced by marginal comparable-sales gains and a tentative outlook for the balance of the year, according to results of Progressive Grocer's 2009 Annual Produce Operations Review.

Total supermarket sales were $430.3 billion, up $13.2 billion from the $417.2 billion recorded in 2007 -- continuing the trend of slightly higher percentage increases in each of the past five years, according to Progressive Grocer's 62nd Annual Consumer Expenditures Study (CES), now greatly expanded from the eight-page print edition to 35 pages of research.