By  Ellen Schuster, MS

As always, the list starts small and grows. Read about interesting news about buying food one grocery alerts shoppers digitally when fresh-picked produce arrives at stores, the price of eggs is the top Google 2023 search in every state), subscription services is the price of convenience worth it?) and health weight loss drugs continue to make news with Oprah and poison control center calls, House passes bill to allow whole milk in schools, Latino food insecurity data accuracy questioned).

And scroll to the end for VERY interesting reading how much do food and drink CEOs make?, how different parts of the country look at food and health, a different/skeptical view of food-as-medicine).

Buying food…

**’Why are eggs so expensive?’ was the top Google search across the country in 2023 https://www.axios.com/2023/12/14/inflation-egg-prices-expensive-2023.

**Want to know when your local grocery has local produce has just arrived? Schnucks is doing just that https://www.grocerydive.com/news/schnucks-foodshed-local-produce-technology/701228/.

**What some grocers are up to in foodservice options https://www.grocerydive.com/news/how-grocers-are-innovating-in-foodservice/700375/.

**The FTC has until Dec. 15 to act on Kroger-Albertsons merger https://www.supermarketnews.com/retail-financial/kroger-tells-ftc-requirements-merger-have-been-met.

6 members of Congress send letter to FTC opposing the merger https://www.grocerydive.com/news/congressmembers-urge-ftc-oppose-kroger-albertsons-merger/702356/.

**Blue Apron’s fresh, not frozen, pre-made meals to debut https://www.grocerydive.com/news/blue-apron-fresh-pre-made-non-frozen-meals/701951/.

**Amazon extends e-commerce, pickup to non-Prime members https://www.grocerydive.com/news/amazon-fresh-grocery-delivery-pickup-nationwide-non-prime-members/699267/.

**Kroger expands online SNAP buying w/Instacart https://www.grocerydive.com/news/kroger-expands-snap-online-purchasing-instacart/702441/.

**Recalled sodas due to possible contamination included Diet Coke https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2023/12/14/coca-cola-recall-2023-diet-coke-sprite-fanta-orange/71916396007/.

Subscription services all around…

**The subscription economy is convenient but has downsides

https://www.axios.com/2023/11/24/membership-subscription-economy-business-model.

**Subscriptions – consumers pay, businesses make money https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2023/12/03/forgot-to-cancel-subscription-cost/71755592007/.

**Amazon pilots grocery subscription service in 3 cities https://www.grocerydive.com/news/amazon-fresh-whole-foods-subscription-delivery-pickup-pilot/702114/.

And in health…

**Poison control centers see almost 1500% increase in calls due to injection of weight loss drugs https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/13/health/semaglutide-overdoses-wellness/index.html.

**House passes bill allowing whole milk in schools, overturning 2012 regulations, the bill now goes to the Senate https://thehill.com/business/4359364-house-passes-bill-allowing-schools-to-serve-whole-milk/.

**Shoppers on weight loss drugs buy less of some grocery items https://www.fooddive.com/news/consumers-on-weight-loss-drugs-buying-less-in-certain-grocery-aisles-study/701602/.

**Oprah added weight-loss medication to her health regimen https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2023/12/14/oprah-ozempic-weight-loss-drugs-cultural-impact/71913261007/.

**U.S. not getting accurate food insecurity data about Latinos from surveys https://theconversation.com/us-food-insecurity-surveys-arent-getting-accurate-data-regarding-latino-families-216872.

**Safe raw flour handling Fightbac Nov. 1, 2023 webinar recording https://www.fightbac.org/free-resources/recorded-webinars/.

**Another wrongful lawsuit filed against Panera due to its charged lemonade https://www.tastingtable.com/1463323/panera-bread-charged-lemonades-second-wrongful-death-lawsuit/;

a graphic comparing the caffeine in charged lemonade to other caffeinated drinks https://www.usatoday.com/story/graphics/2023/12/12/panera-charged-lemonade-caffeine-deaths/71851706007/. In addition to ‘charged’ here are other words on menus that are red flags https://www.eatthis.com/common-menu-words-red-flags/.

Interesting reading…

**Partisan views of food and health in the U.S. https://www.foodpolitics.com/2023/12/the-red-blue-divide-in-american-food-choices/.

**How much food and beverage CEOs make? https://www.fooddive.com/news/SEC-CEO-pay-Coca-cola-pepsico-Kraft-heinz-conagra-general-mills-kellogg/698380/.

**How grocers are becoming data brokers https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/10/how-grocery-stores-are-becoming-data-brokers.html.

**The grocery bill from the 1990 ‘Home Alone’ movie compared to today’s prices https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2023/12/08/home-alone-grocery-prices-kevin-mccallister-1990-2023/71826081007/.

**Food-as-medicine: a skeptical view https://www.foodpolitics.com/2023/12/food-is-medicine-fim-the-latest-food-movement-of-sorts/.