CR guesses that a jump in the cost of food is encouraging more families to buy in bulk from warehouse stores— and they need more freezer space to do it.

Rising food prices could be a factor in the growth of freezer sales. From 2005 to 2008, the overall cost of food for home consumption was projected to climb 4 to 5 percent, according to this Wall Street Journal report. The ever-increasing tab at the checkout line has spurred more Americans to buy in bulk at warehouse clubs such as Costco and Sam's Club, likely creating a need for more freezer space.

Stand-alone freezers can be really helpful. You can buy meat and veggies in bulk and save time and money. You could even consider buying a side of beef.

Interested? Consumer Reports has a buying guide ready to go.

U.S. freezer sales buck overall appliance downturn[CR]
(Photo: mandysuemccaul )

Because we didn't already have enough to worry about this week, the New York Times took a moment to remind us that recessions and crime go hand-in-hand. Consider:

• 1970s: New York almost dies, neighborhoods follow.
• 1987: Stocks crash. The next year, murders soar.

"Every recession since the late ’50s has been associated with an increase in crime and, in particular, property crime and robbery, which would be most responsive to changes in economic conditions. Typically, there is a year lag between the economic change and crime rates."

Nearly 80 police departments say that the subprime meltdown is already boosting crime rates. In Santa Anna, foreclosed homes have been converted to playgrounds for gangs and whores.

New York is enjoying record-low crime rates, even with 4,000 fewer officers than we had eight years ago. Of course, the police department is funded by tax revenue, and New York, more than most, depends on Wall Street for a double-digit chunk of budget grease. Former top cop Bill Bratton said:

Those are tough choices. Where are you going to put the scarce tax dollars? I would advocate it is the wrong thing to do if you start impacting police.

Mayor Bloomberg disagrees and told the police to slash $94 million from this year's budget. Next year, the cops are set to lose another $192 million.

Of course, these social scientists don't really know anything. Some think bad times and foreclosures lead to falling wages, unemployment, and crime. Others think crime is caused by the prosperity and gaudiness found in good times. So unlike the countless investors driving us inexorably towards recession and potential stabbings, you can take solace in the uncertainty.

Keeping Wary Eye on Crime as Economy Sinks [The New York Times]
(Photo: Getty)

Hmm.

We wonder why.

The FDIC is responding to the renewed interest in their services with some PSAs featuring everyone's favorite personal finance guru and striped shirt aficionado, Suze Orman.

They've also launched a friendly-looking website that will help you, the supposedly insured, make sure your money is protected. You can check it out here.

Oh, and he's another topic that Google's New York users have found oddly compelling in the past month.

“The average person goes shopping for 22 minutes,” said Phil Lempert, who edits Supermarketguru.com, a Web site that tracks retail trends. “You can’t see 30,000 or 40,000 products. We are moving into an era when people want less assortment.”

"Miles of Aisles for Milk? Not Here " [New York Times]
(Photo: Getty)

From the WSJ:

Chief Executive Philip J. Schoonover said, "Our sales performance, while disappointing, was in line with our expectations. The company saw significantly improved performance over the last two weeks of the month, but the sales improvement was not enough to offset the weakness experienced at the beginning of the month."

We'll get you started with, "Where the hell do you pay?" Every time we're in a Circuit City there is no one stationed even remotely close to anything that resembles a register. If you do manage to spot someone who is employed by the store, he's usually c*ck-deep in boxes behind some sort of counter, trying not to cry. If there is something that appears to be a check out aisle, it's roped off like a museum exhibit. "Gather round, kids. This is what people used to use to execute retail transactions, back in the early 21st century."

Actually buying something is a 12-step process that involves little public library catalog kiosks that are randomly placed all over the store. Finding someone to able and willing to help you purchase your item is like finding a 1UP in Super Mario Bros., except instead of a free life, you get a sales pitch for an extended warranty. And you're just buying AA batteries.

Your turn.

Circuit City Sales Fell in December [WSJ]
(Photo:cmorran123)

Not since the buying frenzy of 1999, when people bought champagne in bulk to ring in the millennium, have U.S. champagne and sparkling wine sales been so high. Volume for 2007 is expected to hit 900 million glasses, up 4% over 2006, says the 2007 Impact Annual Wine Study.

"Americans are developing a taste for champagne and sparkling wine — slowly, but it's growing," says Frank Walters, director of research.

Are you kicking back after work with a glass of fizz?

Consumers get bubbly about champagne sales [USAToday]
(Photo:Getty)

What do they sell? High-quality merchandise with no brand names. The international chain started in the 1980's as Mujirushi Ryohin ("no label, quality goods"), a sort of "house brand" within the Seiyu supermarket chain. The store became an independent company in 1989 and just opened its first location in the United States.

We'd be tempted to call Muji's popularity an ironic trend if it weren't for the pure and simple fact that people actually do want high-quality, well designed products.

It is perhaps a sign on the times that the conspicuous absence of a brand name is more of an endorsement than the "luxury" labels that are so often affixed to the same crap you buy at Walmart.

Who needs a "brand," anyway? If a store wants to build a reputation by offering quality products, we wish them the best of luck.

The Civilized World Finds a Refuge [New York Times]
(Photo:diametrik)

"We feel blessed that the toys are now in the hands of thousands of children, teaching them the word of God. We knew that the toys would make great Christmas gifts, but to see them sell so well before the Christmas buying season begins proves that parents want alternatives in the toy aisle," says Livingston.

It may also prove that goth kids still buy gag gifts, but we don't want to hurt Mr. Livingston's feelings or anything.

Talking Jesus nearly vanishes [Dallas Morning News]

From the NYT:

Consumer goods companies, which once saw packages largely as containers for shipping their products, are now using them more as 3-D ads to grab shoppers' attention.

The shift is mostly because of the rise of the Internet and hundreds of television channels, which mean marketers can no longer count on people seeing their commercials.

So they are using their bottles, cans, boxes and plastic packs to improve sales by attracting the eyes of consumers, who often make most of their shopping decisions at the last minute while standing in front of store shelves.

"The media is fragmented, and we can't find people — we can't get them to sit down and listen to our argument on a television spot," said Jerry Kathman, chief executive of LPK, a brand agency based in Cincinnati. "The package can convey that argument."

As recently as the 1990s, most package designs were retained for seven or more years. Now marketing executives say they are constantly planning package overhauls. The average life of a package before its next makeover is down to two years, they add.

Product Packages Now Shout to Get Your Attention [NYT] (Thanks, Molly!)
(Photo:Lars Klove)