Supermarket Sweep was a television game show in which contestants would answer questions in a quiz style format and then more importantly would race through a supermarket and collect items. The value of items in the carts determined the winning team.
The show was originally broadcast on ABC from December 1965 to July 1967. Sadly almost all of the episodes from that period are lost to us. Filmed at a Food Fair Supermarket, this version of the show was hosted by Bill Malone.
Bill Malone started his career as a sportscaster before become the host of Supermarket Sweep. Sadly this would be the only game show he would ever host.
Here is a rare episode of this version of the show that been posted online.
The show was then revived on Lifetime from February 1990 to May 1995 and later on PAX from April 2000 to May 2003. This is arguably the more famous version of the show. It was hosted by consummate professional host, David Ruprecht.
You can see Ruprecht in action during this 1991 episode of the show.
It has been 17 years since Supermarket Sweep was on the air. In the meantime it has made the rounds in syndication. There is has acquired new fans and given original fans a healthy dose of nostalgia.
Now, in 2020, we are about to get a new version of Supermarket Sweep. It will air on ABC in the fall on Sundays at 8pm and be hosted by Leslie Jones. I look forward to see what changes they make and what the new hot things to grab in the supermarket will be this time around. Bring on the ham!
The show is not just popular in the United States, but around the world. Even before the reboot in the US in the Nineties local versions of the show were being broadcast in other countries. Eventually 15 nations would have a version of Supermarket Sweep. Some are still broadcasting it today.
I loved all incarnations of the show and still dream of being able to sweep through a supermarket and grab as much of everything that I want. I know that I need to be scientific about what I grab since its the total of your items that count, but I just want to feel the joy of unrestrained food snatching madness.
While I love Supermarket Sweep my obsession with shopping sprees was actually inspired by the aptly named Laverne & Shirley episode, Supermarket Sweep (Season 4, Episode 17).