How Store Tours Impact D.C. Policy

Last month, independent grocers from across the U.S. flew in to Washington, D.C. for the National Grocers Association's second Fly-in for Fair Competition, an event that brings grocers face-to-face with their representatives in Congress to discuss the policies that matter most to independents, including enforcing and strengthening the Robinson-Patman Act, a 1930s law that prohibits price discrimination against smaller retailers. During their meetings, grocers engaged with Congressional offices about the importance of acting now to end dominant food retailers’ anti-competitive tactics. Additionally, NGA members advocated for reforming credit card routing to lower swipe fees by passing the Credit Card Competition Act, legislation introduced during the Fly-in. NGA members also discussed the importance of grocery retail remaining at the center of a strong Farm Bill to ensure independents can continue delivering nutrition assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

“America’s independent, community grocers sent a resounding message to lawmakers on Capitol Hill: It’s time to level the playing field to prevent big box retailers from rigging the rules in their favor to squeeze out smaller competitors,” said Greg Ferrara, NGA president and CEO. “NGA members held nearly 200 meetings with Members of Congress to call for an end to discriminatory conduct that hurts independent grocers and the communities that rely on us. Now it’s time for lawmakers to step up to the plate and deliver for small businesses.”

The next step in advocating for policies that aid independent grocers is store tours. In fact, they may be even more impactful than a visit to Washington.

"Store and warehouse tours really do work," Chris Jones, NGA Senior Vice President of Government Relations & Counsel, said. "They really are our most powerful tool and tool kit to fight for you in Washington."

Ready to make an impact? NGA is accepting volunteers to host store tours for August 2023. Volunteer by filling out this form, and keep reading to find out how it all works and what you need to know.

The Importance of Store Tours

"Store and warehouse tours are an incredibly impactful tool in making that connection and establishing strong relationships," Jones said. "Nothing has an impact quite like a lawmaker visiting a store in their own district."

What makes a store visit so impactful on your lawmakers?

The representative hears directly from their constituents who live, work, pay taxes, and vote in their district.
They see how the policies directly affect their constituents.
Being back in their district (and out of the office) allows the representative to focus and be more informal.

"Having your elected officials come visit and tour your location is a must," Chris Brown, owner of Wray's Marketfresh IGA in Selah, Washington, said. "It is communication with our elected officials. That is how we educate them to our issues."

Brown hosted a store visit with Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) and urges other store owners to participate.

“Do it. You are only talking about your business. What could be easier?”

Wray's Marketfresh IGA Owner Chris Brown and Rep. Dan Newhouse

In August 2022, nearly 20 NGA member grocers from California to New York to Louisiana led their representatives on store tours, which gave them the chance to learn directly from folks on the front lines about the market conditions and challenges they face.

“It’s important for members of Congress to hear from leaders in their district. They don’t always come to D.C. with a grocery retail background,” Laura Strange, NGA’s senior vice president of communications and external affairs, said. “Through the store tours, they can see and hear how the legislation they are working on impacts people in their communities. And they receive a firsthand look from not just the business owners but the store associates, too.”

Immediate Impact

The impact of these visits speaks for itself. In April, D&W Fresh Market, a SpartanNash store in Michigan, hosted U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Stabenow is a key leader during ongoing negotiations on the 2023 Farm Bill, so her store visit was especially crucial.

“As conversations continue in Congress about the 2023 Farm Bill and the key nutrition programs included in the legislative package, it’s critical for influential leaders like Sen. Stabenow to hear from independent grocers about how federal policies are impacting their business operations, their store associates, and the communities they serve,” said Stephanie Johnson, NGA vice president of government relations. “Sen. Stabenow has been a champion for independent grocers in the halls of Congress and we look forward to working with her in the coming months to ensure independent grocers continue to be a driving economic force in Michigan and throughout the United States.”

During the visit, the team discussed continued support for programs SpartanNash has implemented, like Double Up Food Bucks, which offers fresh fruits and vegetables to shoppers receiving food assistance while increasing local produce sales to support local farmers.

“It was great to have Sen. Stabenow in store and we appreciate her perspective on vital issues that affect not just food policy but other areas of our stores including pharmacy,” said SpartanNash Executive Vice President, Corporate Retail Tom Swanson.

Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) visited D&W Fresh Market in April 2023.

In addition to Stabenow's store visit, other store visits have had near-immediate impact on policies. After a 2022 visit to Super Pioneer, a small independent retail chain in Brooklyn, U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) led a bipartisan group of 43 members of Congress to sign a letter to the Federal Trade Commission urging the agency to enforce the Robinson-Patman Act.

U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) attended a 2022 roundtable hosted by Associated Wholesale Grocers and soon after agreed to sponsor the Credit Card Competition Act to lower the cost of credit card fees.

Alex Stodola, owner and manager of Stodola's IGA in Luxemburg, Wisconsin, hosted Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) in 2019 and found it to be a rewarding and effective experience. Stodola said most of the conversation focused on the “on-the-ground” perspective of being a small-town retailer in general and issues impacting the independent grocer in particular.

One of those issues, which Stodola credited NGA for getting him up to speed on, is the shortage of truck drivers across the country. According to NGA, the lack of qualified drivers is increasing the cost of consumer goods, which in turn hurts the economy. This is particularly true in the food retail business, when freshness and quality is so important to prevent food waste and food safety issues.

It’s a problem that hits closest to home for Stodola, who has experienced firsthand the occasional delays in produce deliveries. “Sometimes it’s hard to get fresh deliveries, as the distributors have difficulties covering that last gap out to our part of the state,” he said.

Earlier that year, Gallagher co-sponsored legislation to address the problem. The visit to Stodola's IGA illustrated the importance of obtaining reliable, quality fresh food, said Stodola. “We were in the produce department and I was able to point to the food as we were talking about it,” he said.

Stodola's IGA Owner and Manager Alex Stodola and Rep Mike Gallagher

Carlos Castro, president and owner of Todos Supermarket in Woodbridge, Virginia, hosted a tour and encourages other independent grocers to do the same to make a true impact.

"Store tours are very beneficial, not only because you get to know your elected official and connect with them, but they get to see you in your work environment and you can talk to them about your issues," Castro said. "They are more sympathetic and more likely to help you."

How to Prepare For A Store Tour

If you are interested in hosting a store tour, complete this NGA form to get started. NGA will set up a prep call and send you a personalized toolkit to prepare you for any specific issues to discuss during the visit.

While NGA will handle the logistics, store owners should do a few things in advance of the visit:

Set a clear time and location for the visit (especially if you have multiple stores).
Communicate with your team. Brief your managers and employees on what is happening and select a few key employees to help lead the tour. For example, if you want to speak to your congressperson about swipe fees, then have your CFO or finance team member available.
Designate an employee to take photos during the tour.
Study your talking points (provided by NGA) and determine how to demonstrate those points in store.

"Remember you're never expected to be a policy expert — that's NGA's job — all you need to do is be an expert on your store and any issues that impact your company," Strange said.

Castro adds that NGA's help makes preparing easy. "It's so much easier because NGA helps you get these connections and it won't take too much of your time. I truly recommend doing these when you have the opportunity."

During the Tour

The tour itself is short — about 30-60 minutes. Here's what to expect during the tour:

Greet the Congressperson upon arrival. Get a mobile number for their point of contact and have the team ready to greet your Congressperson at the entrance of the store.
Highlight your local offerings and points of pride. This helps the Congressperson see how much your business supports the local economy and community.
Highlight policy problems. For example, if supply chain issues are leaving you with empty shelves, point that out.
Have fun. Invite your Congressperson to bag groceries or work the register. This is a great photo opportunity if you have local media visiting.
Invite them to chat privately. Once the tour ends, invite the Congressperson to your office or conference room to discuss the policy priorities you have. Thank them for the visit and exchange contact information for future communications.

After the Tour

Once the tour ends, it's important to do a few key things to ensure your visit remains impactful.

"The follow-up is actually what matters the most," Strange said.

Send a thank you note to the Congressperson and their staff.
Send photos to NGA and post on your social media, thanking the Congressperson for their visit.
Talk to NGA's Government Relations team about the visit so they can use your feedback to lobby on your behalf in D.C.

NGA is once again organizing store tours for August 2023. If you would like to volunteer to host a representative from your district, please fill out this form and NGA will contact you with more details. They will work with you to understand the pressing issues and prepare you for the tour.

If you want to know more about what to expect in preparing for and hosting a store tour, watch the video below from NGA.