FAQ

Why Hannaford?

Why not Hannaford? As consumers, we’ve gotten so used to being treated poorly that we often don’t even notice we’re being taken advantage of anymore. But we can’t get complacent –– or worse, start defending the companies that abuse us or our neighbors.

We’re fed up with the price gouging, crap-quality food, dirty stores, and low stocks of the things we need. We’re tired of being used and lied to by a big foreign corporation that pretends to be “local.” We hate having to drive for miles just to buy produce that doesn’t spoil overnight. We’re disgusted by the cruel ways workers and animals are treated all the way down Hannaford’s supply chain. And we can’t stand seeing our friends and family members who work at Hannaford stores scraping by, struggling just to afford their own groceries.

Hannaford has shown us over and over again that it’s not the nice, local grocer it used to be, and it’s time we hold Hannaford accountable. We can’t change the whole grocery sector overnight, but we can start somewhere.

But I like Hannaford!

That’s great! If your Hannaford store is meeting your needs, that’s cool. Our campaign is not meant to diminish your experience. We’re simply speaking out on behalf of the thousands of New Englanders who feel let down, cheated, and exploited by this company. We hope these testimonials will help you understand that your positive experience is likely an anomaly.

Hannaford is the only grocery store in my area. What can I do?

That sucks — we’re sorry. One of the worst things about Hannaford is the way it’s shoved out small, local grocers and become basically a monopoly in some places, especially in rural Maine. If there are any smaller, local markets left near you, they definitely need your support. Also check out community supported agriculture (CSA) programs in your area, and befriend your local farmers. Join our campaign to push Hannaford to do better.

Who funds this campaign?

What Happened to Hannaford? is a project of the New England Consumer Alliance (NECA), a new initiative to ensure a safe, fair marketplace for New Englanders. NECA is operated and funded by the Center for Responsible Food Business (CRFB), a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working to build a more transparent, ethical, and resilient food sector. CRFB is wholly supported by individual donors and foundations who share our mission. Neither CRFB nor NECA receive any funding from corporations or other for-profit entities. If you read the strange claim that we’re somehow connected to the Consumer Energy Alliance in Texas, please know this is entirely false.

What’s the solution?

Sometimes the first step in solving a problem is starting a conversation, and that’s what we hope to do with What happened to Hannaford?. Our frustrations have been festering quietly for years, and we’re finally speaking out and demanding better. As a subsidiary of a multibillion-dollar foreign-owned corporation, there’s lots of things Hannaford could do to improve its standards, lower prices, and treat customers and workers with respect. If it wanted to, it would. So it’s up to us to speak out –– if we join together, Hannaford will eventually have to listen to us and put people over profits.

How can I get involved?

Share our website with friends and family and invite them to contribute their experiences at Hannaford. Send us photos and videos of the gross, dirty, rotting stuff you see in the store so we can amplify them. Tell us about the impacts Hannaford is having on your local community. Leave us a message on the Hannaford Hotline: 2073877687 or email us directly at media@newenglandconsumers.org.