Winn-Dixie drops prices again on hundreds of food items

In October, Winn-Dixie cut the cost of more than 1,500 grocery items -- and now 400 more prices are being reduced as much as 50 percent on items customers buy most.

Winn-Dixie announced its "Down Down" pricing program Wednesday and said it is in addition to its more than 3,000 "New Regular Price" items from the initial campaign.

The campaign is based on a commitment to lower prices and keep them down, the company said in a press release.

"Savings are so significant that a family shopping at Winn-Dixie will now save over $700 this year as a result of these lower prices," said Ian McLeod, president and CEO of Southern Grocers, the parent company of Winn-Dixie. Southern Grocers the fifth-largest supermarket chain in the country by store count.

Some of the new savings:

-- Sanderson Farms whole chicken was $1.49/pound, now $1/pound, a 33 percent reduction

-- Sanderson Farms chicken breast was $4/pound, now $2.50/pound, a 38 percent reduction

-- Winn-Dixie sliced white/wheat bread (1 loaf) was $1.99, now $1, a 50 percent reduction

-- Winn-Dixe 4-pound size granulated sugar was $2.35, now $2, a 15 percent reduction

-- Winn-Dixie 8-ounce shredded sharp cheddar was $3.59, now $2.50, a 30 percent reduction

-- Winn-Dixie 8-ounce crinkle-cut French fries was $2.99, now $2, a 33 percent reduction

Big red helping-hand signs throughout the store show customers the prices that will not change for at least six months.

The company said 83 percent of its customers bought a "New Regular Price" or "Down Down" item within the last six months.

"We know that almost one in five people in the Southeast are relying on food subsidies to feed their families every week," McLeod said. "It is therefore not surprising that our customer surveys report that 'affordable prices' is the most important requirement from a grocery store."

This story was originally published January 6, 2016 at 3:48 PM with the headline "Winn-Dixie drops prices again on hundreds of food items ."