January 19, 2018

TRA Plastic Container Theft Task Force Shuts Down Another Illegal Grinder

In October, our Plastic Crate Task Force Investigator got a tip from one of the member company employees that they saw a pick up loaded with plastic containers being delivered to what looked like a recycling location. Our Investigator placed the location under surveillance and over the next month or so collected pictures and video of folks dropping plastic containers in on a daily basis. He contacted the Houston Police Department and they confirmed Hunter’s suspicions and developed a plan to send in an undercover informant to sell plastic for recycling to the firm.

Our investigator looked up the license plate to get an address for the truck, then placing that address under surveillance until it went out again. Over the next couple of weeks, he followed the truck as it stole various plastic containers from behind retail stores and then made delivery to this location located in East Houston. It was a recycling business buying plastic bags, plastic containers, plastic pallets, plastic trash cans, plastic chairs, etc. Biggest part of the business was the illegal purchase of plastic containers used in the retail industry to move merchandise/products.

Houston Police Department (HPD) along with our Task Force Investigator conducted a sting at this recycler about mid-day and after HPD arrested three persons at the location and designated it a Crime Scene, we were able to get several of our Task Force and Member companies to get tractor trailers to the location that afternoon, evening and into early the next morning to take back their property. HPD Officers, TRA Member Companies, and Task Force Representatives loaded nine 18-wheelers and one large box truck with 22,162 baskets, trays, pallets, and totes at a replacement value of $130,891.14.

The TRA Plastic Container Theft Task Force is unique and the only one we are aware of in the country to try and address the theft of plastic containers used to move products to retailers from manufacturer/distributors. If you would like more information regarding the Task Force, click here to read more about this big problem in our industry.

January 15, 2018

In the Cart – January 2018 Compilation

TRA Plastic Container Theft Task Force
Shuts Down Another Illegal Grinder
Earlier this month after a tip from one of our member company employees about seeing a pickup truck loaded with plastic totes and baskets, the employee took down the truck’s license number and contacted the TRA Plastic Container Theft Task Force’s Investigator. Our investigator looked up the license plate to get an address for the truck, then placing that address under surveillance until it went out again. Over the next couple of weeks, he followed the truck as it stole various plastic containers from behind retail stores and then made delivery to this location located in East Houston. It was a recycling business buying plastic bags, plastic containers, plastic pallets, plastic trash cans, plastic chairs, etc. Biggest part of the business was the illegal purchase of plastic containers used in the retail industry to move merchandise/products.

Houston Police Department (HPD) along with our Task Force Investigator conducted a sting at this recycler about mid-day and after HPD arrested three persons at the location and designated it a Crime Scene, we were able to get several of our Task Force and Member companies to get tractor trailers to the location that afternoon, evening and into early the next morning to take back their property. HPD Officers, TRA Member Companies, and Task Force Representatives loaded nine 18-wheelers and one large box truck with 22,162 baskets, trays, pallets, and totes at a replacement value of $130,891.14.

The TRA Plastic Container Theft Task Force is unique and the only one we are aware of in the country to try and address the theft of plastic containers used to move products to retailers from manufacturer/distributors. If you would like more information regarding the Task Force, please visit the TRA Website to read more about this big problem in our industry.

NCWM Will Again Take up Tare on Receipts Proposal
As FMI previously reported, the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM), by a razor-thin margin, rejected Item 2300-3 during the July 2017 NCWM Annual Meeting. FMI testified during the hearing and provided written testimony. If passed, this item would have required front-end equipment, purchased after 2020, to have the ability to print the tare on the register receipt for each item weighed on the front end scale, at the point of sale. Examples of this are all produce, salad bar items, bulk coffee, bulk nuts, bulk cereal, bulk candy, etc.

The 2018 NCWM Interim Meeting documents were recently released and show that this item will be taken up during the meeting which takes place January 21-24, 2018 in St. Pete Beach, Florida.

It is important that you contact your state weights and measures department and let them know that this is an extremely expensive ask of retailers. In Texas our contact is Stuart Strnad, Director for Consumer Product Protection. Stuart’s contact information is stuart.strnad@texasagriculture.gov or 512-463-5706.  Your state weights and measures director may be voting for an item of which your executive office would not approve. This is a time when many governors are reeling in the red tape and rolling out the red carpet to dump burdensome and unnecessary regulations so that all businesses may thrive and help the economy by providing jobs.

Many of you have contacted your state director earlier this year, but it is important that they hear from you again so they know this issue is still important.

Food Marketing State Issues Report  December 14, 2017

Food Safety Modernization Act Update
The Texas Office of Produce Safety Compliance as a part of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is now officially open and wants to help industry comply with the new produce safety rules. Please click here (FSMA Compliance Timeline) to track the compliance timeline for implementation of the FSMA rules. In addition you can log on here or click here for contact information on the TX Produce Safety Team and  click here to check out the regions the state is divided into by the Safety Team. If you have any additional questions, please reach out to Richard De Los Santos, Director Texas Office of Produce Safety at Texas Department of Agriculture. You can reach him at 512-463-7472 or Richard.DeLosSantos@TexasAgriculture.gov.

SNAP Program Stocking Requirements Effective January 17, 2018
As mentioned in last month’s newsletter, Food & Nutrition Service (FNS) was required to lower the stocking requirements for SNAP Vendors that were authorized to participate in the SNAP Program. The new requirements are effective January 17, 2018. Click here to review a one-page outline of the new requirements put together by FNS. FNS has also developed a webinar to explain the new stocking requirements that can be found by clicking here.

Want to become a SNAP Vendor?
Enclosed in this article is a link to an application notice to become a SNAP Vendor. Food & Nutrition Service (part of United States Department of Agriculture) can authorize SNAP Vendors. We continue to hear examples of where grocers are taken advantage of by some folks/companies that offer to set their store up for a fee and/or purporting “government-sanctioned” equipment and services for EBT acceptance. If you are a new store owner and are looking at becoming a SNAP vendor, please click here to review the process and if you have any questions please reach out to your wholesaler representative or with us here at Texas Retailers Association.

SNAP Program Statistics Update
As expected we are continuing to see impact on the SNAP Program participation as well as the dollars spent due to Hurricane Harvey.   December numbers continued the slight decline from November but really fairly stable compared to last year at this time.   We have included current numbers for Texas as well as comparison to our sister states. We added Florida only this month to give you an idea of the impact following a natural disaster.  You will note the national numbers for participates is from September 17 and the households and benefit dollars are from October 17. Just taking most recent information posted. Also, just a reminder the national numbers lag behind information provided by our state agency. Enclosed is the most current information available.

Please contact Joe Williams: jwilliams@txretailers.org or 936-258-3414 if you have any questions regarding the statistics update.

Month       Cases        Participates           Dollars                Ave per Case
Nov 17     1,712,663       4,021,517           $459,304,225.00         $268.00
Dec 17     1,675,354        3,931,594          $446,920,844.00         $267.00

Twelve Month Rolling Average
1,670,105        3,946,545          $454,596,096.00          $272.00
Look Back To Last Year (2017) at This Time
Jan 17     1,648,030        3,891,968            $443,969,497.00            $269.00
Feb 17     1,630,846        3,847,537           $442,386,110.00            $271.00
How do we compare on the SNAP Program participation to our neighbors and nation-wide. The latest numbers available are Oct 17 compared to Oct 16 except for participates and that is Sept 17.

Participates-Sept   Households-Oct     Benefits-Oct
National Average       <03.3%>           +3.3%               +19.1%
States
Texas                            +20.9%             +38.5%              +73.9%
Florida                        <-02.1%>            +53.2%              +281.9%
New Mexico                 <-03.5%>         <-0.4%>            <-05.7%>
Oklahoma                   <-03.3%>         <-01.9%>           <-04.4%>
Louisiana                    <-14.2%>         <-08.5%>           <-38.5%>
Arkansas                    <03.5%>           <-04.0%>           <05.9%>

How do we compare on WIC Program participation tour neighbors and nation-wide? The latest numbers available are Oct 17 compared to Oct 16. 

State                                         Participation
National Average                            <-05.8%>

Texas                                             <-06.3%>
Louisiana                                        <-05.2%>
Arkansas-                                       <04.4%>
Oklahoma                                       <-06.0%>
New Mexico                                     <05.8%>