Supermarket Sweep
Encyclopedia
Supermarket Sweep is an American television
game show
. Part of the format was similar to other team-based quiz shows; the other part was a live-action race through a supermarket, a novel concept at the time. In the timed race, cameras followed the teams with shopping carts through a large vacated supermarket with several aisles; the value of items thrown into the cart determined the winning team. The original show was broadcast on ABC
(December 1965–July 1967), with revivals airing on Lifetime (February 1990–May 1995, reran until August 1998) and later PAX (April 2000–May 2003, reran until March 2004).
ABC's Supermarket Sweep was broadcast from Food Fair supermarkets, mostly around New York City
. For the Lifetime version, a mock supermarket was created at Hollywood Center Studios
. It was modeled after a Hughes Market until September 1993, when it was remodeled again after a Unified Western Market. The PAX version was staged in the same set and studio as the Lifetime version. Beginning in September 2001, the show moved to NBC Studios
.
The host for the 1965–1967 ABC version was Bill Malone. The announcers were Wally King from 1965–1966, and Richard Hayes from 1966–1967, with Johnny Olson
and Gene Wood
as frequent substitutes during those years. The host for the 1990–1995 Lifetime version and the 2000–2003 PAX version was David Ruprecht
. The announcers were Johnny Gilbert
from 1990–1995 and again from April–September 2000, then Randy West
for the rest of the show's run.
In the second part of the game, one contestant from each team went on a shopping spree through the market, using the time accumulated in the first half of the game. After each contestant ran their sweep, the total value of groceries in each player's cart was determined. The team with the highest total won the right to return to the show and play in the next game. All teams kept the groceries they picked up.
During each segment, different games were played involving everyday groceries. These games varied from day to day and generally involved the following objectives:
If a player was correct, the team earned 10 seconds; however, if all three players were right, 20 seconds (30 in the "On Sale" game, and for all games after late-1992) was added to all three teams' times.
A year after its debut, the bonus was doubled to $100 if the product was brought back within 20 seconds. After three seasons, a second Mini-Sweep was added at the beginning of the second round and was later used only during special weeks on the PAX version.
The runner could bring their cart back to the team's register at any time, at which point it was exchanged for an empty cart. Any items in the runner's cart when the bell rang were included in their total.
The three main rules for the Big Sweep were:
The product limit, which was absent in the original ABC version of the show, was added to prevent a team from overloading their carts with expensive items, such as poultry
, laundry detergent, or over-the-counter drugs.
In most episodes of the show's first season on Lifetime (1990–1991), costumed characters such as Frankenstein's Monster, a gorilla, or a creature named Mr. Yuck ran through the aisles during the Sweep. If the character came near a contestant or vice versa, the contestant had to turn around and go in the other direction. The characters were dropped in 1991.
Once time was called, all products were scanned while the show took a final commercial break. Afterward, the grand totals of each team's takes were revealed. The team with the highest grand total, including bonuses from the question round, won their Sweep total in cash and the right to play in the Bonus Sweep. The other teams received parting gifts. In early episodes of the first season, the totals included cents but were rounded to the nearest dollar in later episodes.
Originally, if the team found the final product and the $5,000 before one of the other products they automatically forfeited the bonus round. However, after the first two seasons this was changed so that an overhead announcement was made reminding the team to find the first two products, then return to the third product and claim the money.
s. On the Friday show, the first three teams played an eight-question Round Robin game, where each correct answer was worth $50 towards their Sweep total. Each of the first three teams then had a flat three minutes in the Big Sweep. This process was repeated for the other three teams. At the end of the show, the team with the highest Big Sweep total won the two cars (a combined value of more than $25,000) in addition to whatever else that they won on their previous shows. All other teams kept their prior winnings.
. This version sponsored by Kmart has only two single players, as well as the big sweep with players being only able to take one of each item as they will win whatever they grabbed.
Canadian version, later aired on the Global Television Network
, was produced from 1992–1995 and is currently airing on GameTV in Canada. Tino Monté was, according to the opening, the "host and games master extraordinaire" and Dave King was announcer. The supermarket in this version was much smaller than in the United States and did not contain the specialty racks such as videos, cards, or flowers. The only exceptions were the Voortman cookie hut, a (rarely used) produce section and a display of Nabob coffee located right behind host Monté. The question rounds each began with a Mini-Sweep which, if won, added $50 to a team's total. On at least two occasions (when the item being searched for was a health food) a gift certificate worth $75 from Naturally Yours Health foods was also awarded for a win.
Each team started with a base time of 1:00 and for the Big Sweep, and only the Shopping List bonus was used in every episode. The Manager's Special (using a wooden crate rather than a red-and-white barrel) was also sometimes used. While the five-per-item rule appeared to be in play (contestants would frequently take five of most items), the announcer rarely mentioned either the rules of the Sweep, or the value of the products. Similar to the "bonus specials" used on the American version, occasionally the market had three inflatable cheeses (referred to as "inflatables" on-air) with a bonus hidden behind a label of either $50, $75, or $100. Although rarely mentioned, teams were allowed only one each of these.
Originally, contestants who won the bonus round received $5,000, as on the American show. Later, prior to playing the bonus round, the winning team chose a scroll represented by one of the letters in the show's title; the scrolls contained a cash amount of $500, $1,000, or $5,000, or a prize such as a Doncaster recliner, two Bulova watches, Mini Maid service for a year, a VCR, a 32" television, or a trip to Acapulco, Mexico, or Cuba. If a team lost the bonus round, they won a consolation prize.
aired on ITV
from 1993–2001 during the day with Dale Winton
as host and Bobby Bragg as announcer; it was produced by FremantleMedia
for Carlton
.
The show was revived in 2007 and filmed 60 episodes at the Maidstone Studios, this time produced by Talkback Thames. The rules were the same as America and Canada, except that the winning team looked for £
5,000.
The original run was taped at Central's Lenton Lane studios in Nottingham
, and the setup was a little different from America. The new version has a slightly different set from the original, and it has a new theme tune. The grand prize has also been upped to £5,000. British Fun House
announcer Gary King replaced Bobby Bragg as announcer.
As in Canada, teams started with 1:00. As with America and Canada, each show started with a Mini-Sweep worth £25 to the sub-total.
Unlike other versions, teams could grab no more than three of one item, as opposed to five. As with America and Canada, the "Shopping List" was also used frequently. The Manager's Special (renamed "Dale's Sale") was also used on some occasions. Brand names were rarely, if ever, mentioned on this version. Also, the UK version did have some games of their own, including "Pricing Gun", where teams could earn £50 by pricing up to 12 coffee pots. The bonuses only went from £25 to £100 on this version.
The original set was transformed to look like a Co-op
, Asda
, or Somerfield
market, depending on the season. The current set resembles an Asda market, due to Asda sponsoring the show. Like the American set, this did have racks of videos and flowers, etc. that the Canadian version lacked.
Reruns of both shows can be seen on Challenge TV.
, airing on the Nine Network
from 1992–1994 with former Price Is Right
host Ian Turpie
as emcee, assisted by Tania Zaetta
. Col Mooney and Alan Glover served as announcers.
The supermarket on this show was originally a Coles Supermarket
, but was later changed to a generic supermarket. Like America, the winners searched for $
5,000. The latter set was identical to the American show, as was the case with most Grundy-produced Australian games based on American programs.
from 1990–1993. The revival, produced by Record
during the 2000s, was in fact part of the TV show Note e Anote. Both versions were hosted by Ricardo Corte Real.
with Enrique Simon as host. The rules were identical to America, except that the currency used was the now-defunct Peseta
. The series aired every midday at around 1:25 PM.
. The Lifetime/PAX version remains fully intact. The Canadian version of airs in reruns on GameTV. The British version airs in reruns on Challenge.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
. Part of the format was similar to other team-based quiz shows; the other part was a live-action race through a supermarket, a novel concept at the time. In the timed race, cameras followed the teams with shopping carts through a large vacated supermarket with several aisles; the value of items thrown into the cart determined the winning team. The original show was broadcast on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
(December 1965–July 1967), with revivals airing on Lifetime (February 1990–May 1995, reran until August 1998) and later PAX (April 2000–May 2003, reran until March 2004).
ABC's Supermarket Sweep was broadcast from Food Fair supermarkets, mostly around New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. For the Lifetime version, a mock supermarket was created at Hollywood Center Studios
Hollywood Center Studios
Hollywood Center Studios is a company based in Los Angeles, California that provides stage facilities to television and movie production companies. Its sound stages, located at 1040 N. Las Palmas Avenue in Hollywood, California, are steeped in Hollywood history...
. It was modeled after a Hughes Market until September 1993, when it was remodeled again after a Unified Western Market. The PAX version was staged in the same set and studio as the Lifetime version. Beginning in September 2001, the show moved to NBC Studios
NBC Studios
The NBC Studios in New York, New York is located at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan, the historic GE Building houses the headquarters of the NBC television network, its parent General Electric, and NBC's flagship station WNBC , as well as cable news channel MSNBC.When NBC Universal relocated,...
.
The host for the 1965–1967 ABC version was Bill Malone. The announcers were Wally King from 1965–1966, and Richard Hayes from 1966–1967, with Johnny Olson
Johnny Olson
John Leonard "Johnny" Olson was an American radio personality and television announcer. His work spanned 32 game shows produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman from the late 1950s through the mid 1980s...
and Gene Wood
Gene Wood
Eugene Edward "Gene" Wood was an American television personality, known primarily for his work as an announcer on various game shows. From the 1960s to the 1990s, he announced many game shows, primarily Mark Goodson–Bill Todman productions such as Family Feud, Card Sharks, Password, and Beat the...
as frequent substitutes during those years. The host for the 1990–1995 Lifetime version and the 2000–2003 PAX version was David Ruprecht
David Ruprecht
David Martin Ruprecht is an American actor/writer primarily known for his work as host of the Lifetime/PAX game show, Supermarket Sweep. He has hosted the live stage show version of The Price Is Right at casinos in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Mississippi and Connecticut. He has also hosted Family...
. The announcers were Johnny Gilbert
Johnny Gilbert
John L. "Johnny" Gilbert III is an American show business personality who has worked mainly on television game shows. Originally a nightclub singer and entertainer, he has hosted and announced a number of game shows from various eras, dating as far back as the 1950s...
from 1990–1995 and again from April–September 2000, then Randy West
Randy West
Randy West is an American television personality who is best known for his work on game shows. He has been an announcer on American television game shows since 1990, with credits including Supermarket Sweep, Trivial Pursuit, Hollywood Showdown, and a substitute role on The Price Is Right.West's...
for the rest of the show's run.
ABC version
Three teams competed. Each team began with a base time of one minute and 30 seconds. In the first part of the game, the teams were shown a grocery item and were asked to guess its retail price. The team who came the closest won the item and an additional 15 seconds to their time. Four items were played.In the second part of the game, one contestant from each team went on a shopping spree through the market, using the time accumulated in the first half of the game. After each contestant ran their sweep, the total value of groceries in each player's cart was determined. The team with the highest total won the right to return to the show and play in the next game. All teams kept the groceries they picked up.
Lifetime/PAX versions
The gameplay of the Lifetime/PAX version of Supermarket Sweep consisted of three segments: the question round, the Big Sweep, and the Bonus Sweep. The game was played between three teams of two related individuals, such as a parent and child, spouses, siblings, or best friends. In the last two rounds, the team members wore sweatshirts of the same color. The show gave the appearance that pairs were chosen to be contestants based on who in the audience (or in the show's last two seasons, the market) held pre-distributed grocery items that the announcer called for at the beginning of the show.Question round
At the beginning of the game, all three teams started with a base time of 1:30. The questions answered correctly added time to their clocks. The round was divided into three segments; in the first two segments, one teammate from each team answered a variety of questions and/or played one of several games that involved pricing everyday grocery items, with the teammates switching between segments. The third segment was the Round Robin game, in which the teammates rotated after each question.Question types
Players were asked a series of questions, usually with specific brands of grocery items as answers; each question was worth 10 seconds. In each round, the questions followed a specific format, which varied between rounds and shows. The formats used on the show included:- Guessing which item a series of interesting facts described.
- Guessing which item went with a particular sloganSloganA slogan is a memorable motto or phrase used in a political, commercial, religious and other context as a repetitive expression of an idea or purpose. The word slogan is derived from slogorn which was an Anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic sluagh-ghairm . Slogans vary from the written and the...
or jingleJingleA jingle is a short tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. The jingle contains one or more hooks and lyrics that explicitly promote the product being advertised, usually through the use of one or more advertising slogans. Ad buyers use jingles in radio and television...
. - Determining the brand name of a product, the picture of which had the brand name edited out.
- Selecting one or more answers to a series of questions from a bank of five or six possible choices.
- Filling in blanks to reveal a product's name; contestants were either given clues and/or letters that were progressively added (either randomly, spelled backwards, the starting and ending letters, or a partially-filled name with some letters missing).
- This or ThatSelecting the correct answer earned 10 seconds; selecting the wrong one gave the other two teams 10 seconds each. A similar variation used was called "Fact or Not a Fact", which determined whether a statement about a product is true or false.
- Animal SoundsGiven three to five animals (cow, sheep, pig, chicken, and/or fish) as the answer choices, for which contestants must make the correct animal's sound.
- TwistedGuessing a product's name from synonyms and/or antonyms that replaced each word. For example, "Cow's Ear" is a clue for Bull's-Eye Barbecue Sauce.
- County FairTested the players' sense of knowledge of a particular gadget.
- Supermarket TriviaTrivia questions were asked about items found or sold in the supermarket.
- Checkstand HeadlinesFacts about a famous person or event that were read about in checkstand tabloids were given to the players, and the players were to guess what the fact referred to.
- ProverbsFacts about well-known expressions were given to the players, and the players were to guess by completing these popular expressions with items found or sold in the supermarket.
Pricing games
- Selecting which of three items was priced above or below a certain amount, was not a given price, was on sale, was incorrectly priced, was correctly priced, or was the most expensive.
- Determining how much of one item could be bought for a certain amount of money.
- Guessing whether the actual price for a product was higher or lower than the price displayed. A variation also included the possibility of the shown price being correct.
If a player was correct, the team earned 10 seconds; however, if all three players were right, 20 seconds (30 in the "On Sale" game, and for all games after late-1992) was added to all three teams' times.
Special games
- 30-Second ShootoutAt the beginning of the second segment of the question round, both contestants on a team played an individual game, which banked the team 30 seconds of Sweep time. Each team took turns by playing the game individually. The format usually consisted of a contestant guessing a series of six-letter (originally 5) words using the clues given by his or her partner (similar to PyramidPyramid (game show)Pyramid is an American television game show which has aired several versions. The original series, The $10,000 Pyramid, debuted March 26, 1973 and spawned seven subsequent Pyramid series...
and Password). The first letter of each correct answer was a letter in the name of a brand name or item from the market, which the guesser then had to determine to earn the Sweep time. Each of the teams had 30 seconds to achieve this (40 in the final Lifetime season), and if a word was accidentally blurted out by the clue-giver, the team was disqualified automatically. An additional rule was that once a clue was used on one of the words in the list, it was not to be used again (doing so also lead to disqualification of that team). On some episodes, an alternative format was used with a picture of a product shown. Each clue changed the product's picture. - Snack Attack Movie GameThree questions about movies worth ten seconds each were asked. The player who answered the last of the three questions correctly earned the right to take a taste testBlind taste testIn marketing, a blind taste test is often used as a tool for companies to compare their brand to another brand. For example, the Pepsi Challenge is a famous taste test that has been run by Pepsi since 1975 as a method to show their superiority to Coca-Cola. Taste tests are also a tool sometimes...
of a food item in the market; correctly identifying the item earned that team a $50 bonus for the Big Sweep. If the contestant guessed right on a second chance (multiple choice at that point), that team earned $25. Originally, the question related to the item only had two choices and only the correct choice earned the $50 bonus.
Round Robin
For the final segment, the teammates switched after each question. The contestants were shown the scrambled letters of a brand name, common food, or item, and three clues were given for 10 seconds each. If no one buzzed in and then answered correctly after the last clue was given, all three clues were repeated quickly. On some episodes throughout the entire Lifetime era, an alternative format was used with five clues given and no scrambled name. The Round Robin originally consisted of four questions, but was lengthened to six in 1991.Mini-Sweep
Beginning in September 1990, a Mini-Sweep was played at the beginning of the first round. A toss-up question (usually a rhyming couplet) was asked with a particular product as the answer. The team that correctly answered the question earned ten seconds, as well as a chance for one team member to run into the market to retrieve the product, which was marked with the show's logo. If the product was returned within 30 seconds, the team won $50 towards their Sweep total. If the team member returned with the incorrect product, the correct product but it didn't contain the sticker featuring the Supermarket Sweep symbol on it, ran out of time to find the correct product with the Supermarket Sweep symbol on it, or returned the correct product with the Supermarket Sweep symbol on it after time ran out, no bonus was awarded.A year after its debut, the bonus was doubled to $100 if the product was brought back within 20 seconds. After three seasons, a second Mini-Sweep was added at the beginning of the second round and was later used only during special weeks on the PAX version.
Big Sweep
The "Big Sweep" was the chance for the teams to run throughout the aisles and to grab whatever they could off of the supermarket shelves. The clock was set to the highest time earned by one of the teams, and the clock started when that team was sent into the market. Once the clock displayed the amount of time the second place team had earned, that team's runner was sent into the market, and the process repeated for the third place team. If more than one of the teams earned the same amount of time, both runners started at the same time. During the Big Sweep, the show's announcer provided the play-by-play.The runner could bring their cart back to the team's register at any time, at which point it was exchanged for an empty cart. Any items in the runner's cart when the bell rang were included in their total.
The three main rules for the Big Sweep were:
- The teams could only take up to five of each item.
- Any items dropped and/or upset had to be returned to the shelf or in one's cart, or incur a $25-per-item penalty. Teams were also penalized for running into supermarket displays, cameramen, or any other personnel.
- Only one member of each team could be in the store at a time; the other team member was required to remain at the checkout counter to unload the groceries.
The product limit, which was absent in the original ABC version of the show, was added to prevent a team from overloading their carts with expensive items, such as poultry
Poultry
Poultry are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of producing eggs, meat, and/or feathers. These most typically are members of the superorder Galloanserae , especially the order Galliformes and the family Anatidae , commonly known as "waterfowl"...
, laundry detergent, or over-the-counter drugs.
In most episodes of the show's first season on Lifetime (1990–1991), costumed characters such as Frankenstein's Monster, a gorilla, or a creature named Mr. Yuck ran through the aisles during the Sweep. If the character came near a contestant or vice versa, the contestant had to turn around and go in the other direction. The characters were dropped in 1991.
Once time was called, all products were scanned while the show took a final commercial break. Afterward, the grand totals of each team's takes were revealed. The team with the highest grand total, including bonuses from the question round, won their Sweep total in cash and the right to play in the Bonus Sweep. The other teams received parting gifts. In early episodes of the first season, the totals included cents but were rounded to the nearest dollar in later episodes.
Bonuses
Many bonuses were available during the Big Sweep at different times during the show's run. Each contestant was only able to take one of each bonus type. With the exception of the Bonus Specials shown below, all items picked up by the runner had to be in the shopping cart (and properly bagged/sealed, if necessary) or over the red checkout line before time ran out in order to count. Some of these included:- Bonus Specials (Value: $50–$200, later up to $250)The only bonus feature to appear in every episode. Three jumbo-sized stuffed animals, giant inflated balloons of products, or cardboard promotional signs for products with bonus tags attached to them were scattered throughout the market. In order for the bonus to count, the runner had to bring the item over the red line painted on the floor around the checkouts (without destroying the item or the tag) before the time expired. A runner was allowed to steal an opposing team's item if it was left unprotected before getting it to the checkouts.
- These over-sized products and/or signs were worth $50, $100, or $200. In September 1993, a fourth bonus worth $250 (dubbed the "Super Bonus") was added to the market. During the Twin Car Giveaway Tournament, a $300 bonus (dubbed the "Super Super Bonus") was added, replacing the $50 bonus. In all cases, only one bonus was allowed per team.
- Coffee (Value: $100, later $200)Runners were required to grind a one-pound bag of coffee.
- Candy (Value: $100, later $200)Runners were required to bag and weigh a dollar's worth of candy, give or take two cents.
- Beginning with the introduction of the candy, both it and the coffee bonus were available to shoppers on each episode. This changed in 2002 during the PAX era, where only one item–never both–was available each day. The item for that episode was announced at the start of the Big Sweep, and the bonus doubled to $200.
- Shopping List (Value: $250, later $300 for the Alphabet Game)Before the Sweep, Ruprecht gave a list of three products (originally four) in the market to be found. The Alphabet Game was played the same way, but with Ruprecht mentioning three consecutive letters of the alphabet as well as the products beginning with those letters. The products had to be placed in a mini-basket that was located in front of the cart to count, and only one of each item; multiple mini-baskets could be used if needed. Other variations included the following:
- Magazine DisplayPicking up three (or four) magazines that were listed by Ruprecht, from the many titles to choose from.
- Jelly Belly MachineBagging three flavors of Jelly BellyJelly BellyThe Jelly Belly Candy, or simply Jelly Belly, is the maker of The Jelly Belly and other candy, formerly known as The Herman Goelitz Candy Company...
jelly beans that Ruprecht wanted from the many flavors that were available. - International Bread CenterBagging certain quantities of three bread types that were listed by Ruprecht, from the many bread types on display.
- Fruit FantasyPutting certain quantities of lemons, apples, oranges, and grapefruits into a fruit basket, to be picked up in the market's produce section.
- Breakfast BreakGetting five breakfast items that Ruprecht asked for with the help of their partners; this was later changed to two breakfast items and then dropped completely.
- CakeDesigning a cake and writing the show's name and the team's number on the top.
- Frozen Yogurt MachineDispensing three flavors of frozen yogurt into a plastic cup, from the following four flavors: Triple Fudge Chocolate, Vanilla Bean Dream, Sweet Peachy Peach, and Berry Berry Raspberry. The flavors also had to be dispensed in a certain order.
- Mystery Product (Value: $250, $300 if a movie)Runners tried to find a product using clues displayed on three televisionTelevisionTelevision is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
monitors in the market. This bonus was later changed to the use of two television monitors from September 2001–May 2003. Another variation included Splitting the Name, with one half of a product's name on each of the two monitors.- For the $300 Movie, midway through the Sweep, Ruprecht announced "Activate the TV monitors", at which point the television monitors came into play.
- Manager's Special or Red Tag Special (Value: $200)During the Sweep, Ruprecht announced the "Manager's Special" or the "Red Tag Special" of the day via the market's loudspeaker. The contestant had to run to a red-and-white barrel at the front of the market or a shopping cart at the back of the market that was filled with products and find the specially-marked item. An unmarked item awarded no bonus to the team, even if it was the correct product.
- Stack Job or Recycle Machine (Value: $100, later $150 for the Stack Job)Runners had to find one of three bags filled with empty soda cans that were spread throughout the market and return the bag to their partner. Their partner then had to go to their table and, using all 21 cans, stack the empty soda cans in the shape of a pyramid as shown before the Sweep began. Getting the "Stack Job" done awarded the team a token good for the bonus.
- For the "Recycle Machine" the partner had to go to the recycling machine and recycle all 10 cans into the machine, one at a time, after which the machine issued a $100 receipt.
- Super Sandwich (Value: $200)Three tables were placed at one side of the market, each set up with the ingredients for a submarine sandwich: roll, meats, cheeses, lettuce, condiments, etc. Each runner could go to one of the tables and use all the items on it to build the sandwich, then wrap it in aluminum foil and seal it in a bag with a twist-tie. In order to receive the bonus, all the ingredients had to be used and the bag needed to be sealed.
- Sweep Swipe or Market Madness (Value: $200–$250)A limited supply of items (two cases of candy, five boxes of detergent, etc.) were placed in front of three tables or three stationary shopping carts, one for each of the three teams. Runners moved the items (from the floor or from another team's table or cart), one at a time, onto their own table or their cart. For each item in one's possession at the end of the bell, the team received a bonus (either $50 or $100 per item).
- Cracker Jackpot or Jolly Time Is Money (Value: $100, later $150 for Jolly Time is Money; $200 for the Cracker Jackpot)Runners tore open boxes of Cracker JackCracker JackCracker Jack is a U.S. brand of snack consisting of strong molasses flavored candy-coated popcorn and peanuts, well known for being packaged with a prize of nominal value inside. Some food historians consider it the first junk food...
or emptied bags of Jolly Time PopcornPopcornPopcorn, or popping corn, is corn which expands from the kernel and puffs up when heated. Corn is able to pop because, like sorghum, quinoa and millet, its kernels have a hard moisture-sealed hull and a dense starchy interior. This allows pressure to build inside the kernel until an explosive...
in order to find a token with the show's shopping cart logo on it. - Bonus Envelope (Value: $200)Halfway through the Sweep, the host announced a clue to a specific product. After hearing the clue, the partners at the checkout counter ran into the market to find their teammates and give them the clue. If the teammate points out the item to their partner, the money was lost. Runners had to find the product and take the bonus envelope that was located next to it. A variation was played with movie titles at the video stand.
- Giant Box of Laundry Detergent (Value: $25–$100) A giant box of laundry detergent (Gain or Cheer) was located at the back of the store with four colored envelopes on it. The runner picked one of the envelopes and the money was added to the team's total.
- Balloon Pop (Value: $150) Three shopping carts or large garbage bags filled with balloons were located in one of the back corners of the supermarket. Runners brought back one of the carts or bags to the checkouts for their partners to pop. Their partners had to pop all of the balloons before the time had expired.
- Instant Coupon Machines A contestant won bonus money by getting a coupon and locating the associated product on a supermarket shelf nearby.
- Double and Triple Coupons Certain items had double-value or triple-value coupons located on or near the actual item that multiplied its value accordingly.
- Shopping List (Value: $250, later $300 for the Alphabet Game)Before the Sweep, Ruprecht gave a list of three products (originally four) in the market to be found. The Alphabet Game was played the same way, but with Ruprecht mentioning three consecutive letters of the alphabet as well as the products beginning with those letters. The products had to be placed in a mini-basket that was located in front of the cart to count, and only one of each item; multiple mini-baskets could be used if needed. Other variations included the following:
Bonus Sweep
The winning team was given 60 seconds to find three products in the market. They were given a clue to the first product, after which the time started. The second clue was affixed to the first product, and the third clue was on the second product. If the team found the third product, they won $5,000. The winning team had to find all three products and return with them to win the money. If the team was unsuccessful, the team still won $200 for each product found. The team had to have their hands on the money before the bell signaled the end of the 60 seconds.Originally, if the team found the final product and the $5,000 before one of the other products they automatically forfeited the bonus round. However, after the first two seasons this was changed so that an overhead announcement was made reminding the team to find the first two products, then return to the third product and claim the money.
Tournaments
During both runs of the show, special tournaments were held periodically, as well as other individual shows in which former teams were invited back for a chance to win more money or a trip.Twin Car Giveaway
From September 5–30, 1994, at the beginning of the show's final season on Lifetime, a month-long Twin Car Giveaway tournament was held. During the first three weeks of the tournament, a standard game was played each day. The twelve teams with the highest Big Sweep totals from these episodes at the end of the third week returned for the fourth and final week, in which games were played with no Bonus Sweep. The six teams with the highest Big Sweep totals during that final week returned for the Friday show to play for a pair of Geo TrackerGeo Tracker
The Chevrolet Tracker, formerly the Geo Tracker, is a mini SUV produced for Chevrolet and Geo by CAMI Automotive in Ingersoll, Ontario. Although appearing as a compact SUV, the Tracker was actually certified as a Light truck due to its off-road capabilities.-First generation: The Geo Tracker was a...
s. On the Friday show, the first three teams played an eight-question Round Robin game, where each correct answer was worth $50 towards their Sweep total. Each of the first three teams then had a flat three minutes in the Big Sweep. This process was repeated for the other three teams. At the end of the show, the team with the highest Big Sweep total won the two cars (a combined value of more than $25,000) in addition to whatever else that they won on their previous shows. All other teams kept their prior winnings.
Other tournaments and specials
Occasionally, former teams were invited back to play for additional money or a trip. These consisted largely of "Sweeps of Champions", which gave previous winners a chance to go on another Bonus Sweep for the opportunity to play and get a second chance at $5,000. On a few early "Sweep of Champions" episodes, former players were invited back for a chance to double their money to $10,000. Others include:- "Second Chance": Allowed previous winners who won their Big Sweep, but missed the $5,000 to come back for a second chance on Friday to go for that amount.
- "You Can't Lose!": Like the Second Chance episodes, but no Bonus Sweep was played during this week. In these episodes, one team was guaranteed to win $5,000 after they lost on their first appearance.
- "Double Your Money Week": Similar to the few early "Sweeps of Champions" episodes from the Lifetime version, except in the PAX version the winning team with the highest Super Big Sweep total at the end on the final day didn't have to run around the market looking for another $5,000they automatically doubled their money to $10,000.
- "Mother-Daughter Week": Featured on the Lifetime run with mother-daughter teams competing, sometimes with daughters under the age of 18.
- "Family Week": Similar to the Mother-Daughter Week in the Lifetime version (only with various family members), the Family Week in the PAX version had relative teams to win $5,000 at the end of the week. No Bonus Sweep was played in that week.
- "Cruise to Paradise": Invited back 12 former teams who lost their Big Sweep to play for a seven-day Carnival Cruise for two (and two guests) to the Mexican Riviera. No Bonus Sweep was played at the end of that week.
- "Cruise Week": Similar to the "Cruise to Paradise" week, except no Bonus Sweep was played throughout the entire week.
- "Tournament of Heroes": Troop teams were to win the $5,000 at the end of the week. No Bonus Sweep was played in this week.
Spanish-American Version
A Spanish language version entitled Arrasa con Todos con Kmart (Sweep it All with Kmart) currently airs on Univision weekly and takes place in a replica KmartKmart
Kmart, sometimes styled as "K-Mart," is a chain of discount department stores. The chain acquired Sears in 2005, forming a new corporation under the name Sears Holdings Corporation. The company was founded in 1962 and is the third largest discount store chain in the world, behind Wal-Mart and...
. This version sponsored by Kmart has only two single players, as well as the big sweep with players being only able to take one of each item as they will win whatever they grabbed.
Canada
A syndicatedTelevision syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
Canadian version, later aired on the Global Television Network
Global Television Network
Global Television Network is an English language privately owned television network in Canada, owned by Calgary-based Shaw Communications, as part of its Shaw Media division...
, was produced from 1992–1995 and is currently airing on GameTV in Canada. Tino Monté was, according to the opening, the "host and games master extraordinaire" and Dave King was announcer. The supermarket in this version was much smaller than in the United States and did not contain the specialty racks such as videos, cards, or flowers. The only exceptions were the Voortman cookie hut, a (rarely used) produce section and a display of Nabob coffee located right behind host Monté. The question rounds each began with a Mini-Sweep which, if won, added $50 to a team's total. On at least two occasions (when the item being searched for was a health food) a gift certificate worth $75 from Naturally Yours Health foods was also awarded for a win.
Each team started with a base time of 1:00 and for the Big Sweep, and only the Shopping List bonus was used in every episode. The Manager's Special (using a wooden crate rather than a red-and-white barrel) was also sometimes used. While the five-per-item rule appeared to be in play (contestants would frequently take five of most items), the announcer rarely mentioned either the rules of the Sweep, or the value of the products. Similar to the "bonus specials" used on the American version, occasionally the market had three inflatable cheeses (referred to as "inflatables" on-air) with a bonus hidden behind a label of either $50, $75, or $100. Although rarely mentioned, teams were allowed only one each of these.
Originally, contestants who won the bonus round received $5,000, as on the American show. Later, prior to playing the bonus round, the winning team chose a scroll represented by one of the letters in the show's title; the scrolls contained a cash amount of $500, $1,000, or $5,000, or a prize such as a Doncaster recliner, two Bulova watches, Mini Maid service for a year, a VCR, a 32" television, or a trip to Acapulco, Mexico, or Cuba. If a team lost the bonus round, they won a consolation prize.
United Kingdom
Dale's Supermarket SweepDale's Supermarket Sweep
Dale's Supermarket Sweep was a UK game show based on the American Supermarket Sweep TV show format.-1993 - 2001:The original show was recorded in the Television House in Nottingham, which was renamed the Carlton Studios in 1996...
aired on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
from 1993–2001 during the day with Dale Winton
Dale Winton
Dale Winton is an English radio DJ and television presenter.-Early life:Winton's father, Gary, was "domineering" and died when Winton was 13. Winton was brought up by his mother, actress Sheree Winton...
as host and Bobby Bragg as announcer; it was produced by FremantleMedia
FremantleMedia
FremantleMedia, Ltd. is the content and production division of Bertelsmann's RTL Group, Europe's second largest TV, radio, and production company...
for Carlton
Carlton Television
Carlton Television was the ITV franchise holder for London and the surrounding counties including the cities of Solihull and Coventry of the West Midlands, south Suffolk, middle and east Hampshire, Oxfordshire, south Bedfordshire, south Northamptonshire, parts of Herefordshire & Worcestershire,...
.
The show was revived in 2007 and filmed 60 episodes at the Maidstone Studios, this time produced by Talkback Thames. The rules were the same as America and Canada, except that the winning team looked for £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
5,000.
The original run was taped at Central's Lenton Lane studios in Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, and the setup was a little different from America. The new version has a slightly different set from the original, and it has a new theme tune. The grand prize has also been upped to £5,000. British Fun House
Fun House (game show)
Fun House was a United States children's television game show that aired from September 5, 1988 to April 13, 1991. Two teams , each consisting of a boy and a girl, played messy games and answered questions to win a chance to run through an obstacle-strewn Fun House at the end of the show. It was...
announcer Gary King replaced Bobby Bragg as announcer.
As in Canada, teams started with 1:00. As with America and Canada, each show started with a Mini-Sweep worth £25 to the sub-total.
Unlike other versions, teams could grab no more than three of one item, as opposed to five. As with America and Canada, the "Shopping List" was also used frequently. The Manager's Special (renamed "Dale's Sale") was also used on some occasions. Brand names were rarely, if ever, mentioned on this version. Also, the UK version did have some games of their own, including "Pricing Gun", where teams could earn £50 by pricing up to 12 coffee pots. The bonuses only went from £25 to £100 on this version.
The original set was transformed to look like a Co-op
The Co-operative Group
The Co-operative Group Ltd. is a United Kingdom consumer cooperative with a diverse range of business interests. It is co-operatively run and owned by its members. It is the largest organisation of this type in the world, with over 5.5 million members, who all have a say in how the business is...
, Asda
Asda
Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...
, or Somerfield
Somerfield
Somerfield was a chain of small to medium sized supermarkets operating in the United Kingdom. The company was taken over by the Co-operative Group on 2 March 2009 in a £1.57 billion deal, creating the UK's fifth largest food retailer. The name is currently being phased out and replaced by the...
market, depending on the season. The current set resembles an Asda market, due to Asda sponsoring the show. Like the American set, this did have racks of videos and flowers, etc. that the Canadian version lacked.
Reruns of both shows can be seen on Challenge TV.
Australia
An Australian version was produced by GrundyReg Grundy Organisation
The Reg Grundy Organisation was an Australian television production company founded in 1959 by businessman Reg Grundy . It has since branched out into Europe and the USA. The company first produced game shows, before branching into soap operas in 1973...
, airing on the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
from 1992–1994 with former Price Is Right
The Price Is Right (Australian game show)
The Price is Right was a television game show that has been produced in a number of different formats in Australia.-Original format:Two regional versions based on the original 1950s US format aired nearly concurrently - one aired on ATN-7 in Sydney, hosted by Bruce Beeby and Keith Walshe from...
host Ian Turpie
Ian Turpie
Ian "Turps" Turpie is an Australian television celebrity, best known for hosting the long-running game show The Price Is Right before being replaced by Larry Emdur.-Early life:...
as emcee, assisted by Tania Zaetta
Tania Zaetta
Tania Zaetta is an Australian actress and television presenter who acts in Bollywood.-Early life:Zaetta was born to an Italian father and an Australian mother. Grand daughter of James Howard Browne OAM, botanist. She spent the earlier years of her life living in Merbein, Victoria...
. Col Mooney and Alan Glover served as announcers.
The supermarket on this show was originally a Coles Supermarket
Coles Supermarkets
Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741...
, but was later changed to a generic supermarket. Like America, the winners searched for $
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
5,000. The latter set was identical to the American show, as was the case with most Grundy-produced Australian games based on American programs.
Brazil
Supermarket had two versions—the first was produced by BandRede Bandeirantes
Rede Bandeirantes , officially nicknamed Band or Band Network, is a television network from Brazil, based in São Paulo. Part of the Grupo Bandeirantes de Comunicação , it aired for the first time in 1967...
from 1990–1993. The revival, produced by Record
Rede Record
Rede Record de Televisão is a Brazilian television network, founded in 1953 by Paulo Machado de Carvalho, also founder of Rádio Record. Currently it is owned by businessman Edir Macedo, founder and bishop of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God. Since 2007 it is Brazil's second largest...
during the 2000s, was in fact part of the TV show Note e Anote. Both versions were hosted by Ricardo Corte Real.
Spain
Supermercado ("Supermarket") aired during the 1990s on commercial television station Antena 3Antena 3 (Spain)
Antena 3 is a Spanish terrestrial television channel owned by Antena 3 de Televisión. Some of the more popular programmes broadcast by Antena 3 include Aquí no hay quien viva, El Barco, Los Protegidos, Los Simpson and El Internado....
with Enrique Simon as host. The rules were identical to America, except that the currency used was the now-defunct Peseta
Spanish peseta
The peseta was the currency of Spain between 1869 and 2002. Along with the French franc, it was also a de facto currency used in Andorra .- Etymology :...
. The series aired every midday at around 1:25 PM.
Episode status
All but seven episodes of the ABC version have been wipedWiping
Wiping or junking is a colloquial term for action taken by radio and television production and broadcasting companies, in which old audiotapes, videotapes, and telerecordings , are erased, reused, or destroyed after several uses...
. The Lifetime/PAX version remains fully intact. The Canadian version of airs in reruns on GameTV. The British version airs in reruns on Challenge.
External links
- David Ruprecht's website, contains info on the show