Supermarket Sees Frenzied Pre-Holiday Shopping Ahead of Rosh Hashanah

Two days before Rosh Hashanah, the "Osher Ad" supermarket branch in Rishon LeZion was packed with shoppers and overflowing carts, reflecting intense pre-holiday purchasing. The supermarket chain was recently ranked second in a "cheapest basket" survey, just 20 shekels behind Rami Levy.

"It's crazy what's going on here today," said a sales representative from a leading retail chain, who requested anonymity. "Being a representative in this branch is fun. This is one of the busiest branches in the country, but what's happening here today is truly madness." Retailers are using prices of well-known and prominent products, especially those associated with the holiday table, as a key tool to attract consumers, in addition to the overall price of the shopping basket.

Attractive promotions were also noted in beverages, with a four-pack of 1.5-liter Coca-Cola or Coke Zero bottles priced at 14.90 shekels, and a six-pack of cans at the same price. "Tafuchina" drinks were offered at 3.90 shekels, and various Spring drinks were sold at 4 for 20 shekels. Pomegranates, a traditional Rosh Hashanah fruit, were available for 5.90 shekels.

Other holiday-related items included "Malkat HaD'vash" honey for 12.90 shekels per kilogram, a "Achva" honey cake for 5.90 shekels, various shofars starting at 24.90 shekels, and "Eshkolot" natural grape juice for 11.90 shekels.

The supermarket chain is also expanding into the home appliance category. Shelves featured small appliances such as a churro maker for 99.90 shekels, a chocolate fountain for 99.90 shekels, and a gummy candy maker for 89.90 shekels. Basic electrical items like electric kettles were available for 19.90 shekels, with a digital electric kettle priced at 49.90 shekels.