Grocery chain Safeway Inc. discloses its inventory in the following manner on the balance sheet itself (dollars in millions).

Rival grocer SUPERVALU Inc., on the other hand, disclosed information about its LIFO and FIFO values in a footnote to its 2014 financial statements. The balance sheet inventory values (in millions) were $984 and $861 for fiscal 2014 and fiscal 2013, respectively.
As of February 28, 2015, and February 22, 2014, approximately 55 percent and 57 percent, respectively, of the Company€™s inventories were valued under the LIFO method . . .. The replacement cost approach under the FIFO method is predominantly utilized in determining the value of high turnover perishable items, including Produce, Deli, Bakery, Meat and Floral . . .. If the FIFO method had been used to determine cost of inventories for which the LIFO method is used, the Company€™s inventories would have been higher by approximately $211 and $202, as of February 28, 2015, and February 22, 2014, respectively.

REQUIRED:
a. For which of the two companies is the difference between LIFO and FIFO larger as a percent of total inventories?
b. Compute ending inventory as of the end of 2014, assuming the FIFO method, for Safeway and as of the end of fiscal 2014 for SUPERVALU.
c. Estimate the tax savings enjoyed by the two companies due to their use of LIFO instead of FIFO. (Assume a 30 percent tax rate.)
d. Why might SUPERVALU use FIFO for €œhigh turnover perishable items€?

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2014 2013 Merchandise inventory (net of LIFO reserves of $53.1 and $58.1) $2,187.9 $2,089.6