FORT LEE, Va. --
Commissary customers around the world must have written across their May calendar in big, red letters: "Shop till you drop!" That's exactly what happened as the World's Biggest Case Lot Sale set a new record for May worldwide case lot sales with more than $12.5 million in sales and 1.8 million cases of product sold. This is a 1.8-percent increase in sales over last May's case lot sale.
"Commissaries sell at cost, so the big success story here is that our customers got a lot more groceries with a lot less cash," said Patrick Nixon, Defense Commissary Agency director and chief executive officer. "Though overall savings are holding steady at 30 percent or more, case lot sales bump those savings up to 50 percent or more off regular prices."
DeCA holds worldwide sales twice a year, in May and September. The September sale started in 2001 and proved so popular another was added in May. The sale this May rang up more than 42 percent higher sales than the inaugural event, proof of increasingly savvy shopping by commissary customers. Both events offer shoppers bulk quantities of their favorite products at increased savings, such as canned goods, beverages, cleaning or laundry products, and in some cases, fresh chicken, pork, beef and produce.
"Our customers really look forward to case lot sales," Mr. Nixon said. "We're proud to provide ways to give them the most value for their money, and case lot sales are one of the most effective tools we have of making that happen. Our customers deserve the very best benefit we can give them!"
Plans are already being made for the next DeCA worldwide case lot sale in September. Shoppers can find out about the next case lot sale and other special events and promotions at their favorite commissary by accessing
www.commissaries.com. There they can sign up to get all the latest news from DeCA, delivered via e-mail through the "Commissary Connection" newsletter.
Since commissaries have the flexibility to have their sales anytime during the month of a case lot event, shoppers who live in regions with multiple commissaries, such as Norfolk, Va., or San Antonio, can make maximum use of the DeCA Web site to hit several different sales during September.