Center Store

The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., Inc. (A&P) yesterday debuted in all of its Pathmark stores a line of EDLP products under the Food Basics and Home Basics labels, with the aim of offering value-minded shoppers the opportunity to buy household staples for less. The new brands are distinguished by yellow labels.

Items sold under the Food Basics brand include both shelf-stable and perishable fare such as cereal, cheese, produce and meat, while Home Basics offers a range of nonedible products, among them paper towels, laundry detergent, baby wipes and motor oil.

“This economy has definitely affected our customers’ shopping budgets,” acknowledged Sam Martin, A&P’s brand-new CEO. “The new Food Basics and Home Basics brands will allow our shoppers to buy all their household necessities for much less than national brands.”

Appropriately enough, A&P said it plans to introduce the brands in its Food Basics banner stores in the next few months.

Montvale, N.J.-based A&P operates 429 stores in eight states and the District of Columbia under the following banners: A&P, Waldbaum’s, Pathmark, Best Cellars, The Food Emporium, Super Foodmart, SuperFresh and Food Basics.