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Charlotte, N.C.-Area Food Stores Say Low-Carb Fade is Widespread

Posted on: Tuesday, 2 August 2005, 18:00 CDT

Aug. 2--It isn't just Atkins products suffering from waning popularity. Area grocers say they noticed the low-carb fad tapering off months ago.

The low-carb craze peaked about mid-2004, said Dianne Blancato, spokeswoman for Winston-Salem-based Lowes Foods Stores Inc. Since then, she said, Lowes has seen a significant drop in inventory of low-carb diet products as demand has dwindled.

But she said she hasn't seen any new food trends replacing low-carb fare, which included a range of low-carb brands and products, from ketchup to pasta and cereals.

Discounters also have noticed a drop in consumer hunger for low-carbohydrate foods. Over-production sent a glut of nearly expired low-carb creations to Big Lots Stores Inc. in 2004, said Pat Zeigler, spokeswoman for the closeout retailer.

Some Big Lots still sell low-carb cereals, bars and vitamins, among other products. But Zeigler said the company isn't getting many offers for these items.

Jennifer Panetta, spokeswoman for Harris Teeter Inc., said in an e-mail the grocer will continue to carry seven Atkins items. She added that an Atkins sales representative assured her "that there will be no problems maintaining these items in our inventory."

Jeff Lowrance, spokesman for Salisbury-based Food Lion LLC, said since last year's peak, demand has leveled off for the diet-friendly products.

But Lowrance said items such as meat and other high-protein, low-carb food that the Atkins diet advocates are still popular.

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BLI, RDK, DEG, DELB,

Source: The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.)

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