September commissary case lot sales canceled

Commissary officials have canceled September case lot sales worldwide because of budget cuts.

Earlier this year, officials canceled the May case lot sales because of Defense Department budget cuts mandated under sequestration. In addition, they’ve postponed all Guard and reserve on-site sales after July 8 until further notice.

The case lot sales, held twice a year, are large events usually held in the parking lots of commissaries, often with bulk items, offering price reductions over and above the usual commissary savings.

“Sequestration has forced the commissary to look for cost-saving measures,” said Michelle Frost, chief of promotions and marketing for the Defense Commissary Agency, in a statement announcing the decision.

DeCA spends about $900,000 each year to run two case lot sales worldwide, a DeCA official said earlier this year.

Commissaries will offer other, smaller sales more frequently, however. “Customers will still have the chance to save money through the other sales,” said Charlie Dowlen, DeCA’s promotions manager, in the statement. “They can save up to 30 to 40 percent on items in the regular promotional packages and up to 30 percent on club packs.”

Customers should check with their local commissary for information about upcoming sales.