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{{distinguish|The Grocer}}
{{redirect|Purveyor|the legal concept|purveyance}}
{{two other uses||a large-scale grocery store|supermarket|a fruit and vegetable grocery store|greengrocer}}
{{two other uses||a large-scale grocery store|supermarket|a fruit and vegetable grocery store|greengrocer}}
{{TAFI}}
{{TAFI}}
{{Update|inaccurate=yes|date=February 2013}}


[[File:Supermarkt.jpg|right|250px|thumb|[[Produce]] section in a supermarket]]
[[File:Supermarkt.jpg|right|240px|thumb|The [[produce]] section in a supermarket]]
[[File:Fredmeyer.jpg|right|thumb|250px|[[Packaged food]] aisles in a [[hypermarket]].]]
[[File:Fredmeyer.jpg|right|thumb|240px|[[Packaged food]] aisles in a [[hypermarket]].]]
[[File:Nizwa-Grocery.jpg|thumb|190px|A grocery store in Nizwa, Oman]]


A '''grocery store''' is a [[retail store]] that sells [[food]] and other non-food items. Large grocery stores that stock products other than food, such as clothing or household items are called [[supermarket]]s. Some large supermarkets also include a pharmacy and an electronics section, the latter selling DVDs, headphones, digital alarm clocks, and similar items. Small grocery stores that mainly sell fruits and vegetables are known as produce markets (U.S.) or [[greengrocer]]s (Britain), and small grocery stores that predominantly sell prepared food, such as candy and snacks, are known as [[convenience stores]] or [[delicatessen]]s.
A '''grocery store''' is a [[retail store]] that primarily sells [[food]]. A '''grocer''' is a bulk seller of [[food]]. Grocery stores often offer non-perishible food, with some also having fresh produce, butchers, delis, and bakeries. Large grocery stores that stock significant amounts of non-food products, such as clothing and household items, are called [[supermarket]]s. Some large supermarkets also include a pharmacy and an electronics section, the latter selling DVDs, headphones, digital alarm clocks, and similar items.

In the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom, [[supermarket]]s and [[convenience store]]s are sometimes described as grocery businesses, or simply grocers.<ref group="note">For example, the largest trade paper for UK supermarkets and convenience stores is called ''[[The Grocer]]''</ref> Small grocery stores that mainly sell fruits and vegetables are known as produce markets (U.S.) or [[greengrocer]]s (Britain), and small grocery stores that predominantly sell prepared food, such as candy and snacks, are known as [[convenience stores]] or [[delicatessen]]s.


Some grocery stores (especially large ones) form the centerpiece of a larger complex that includes other facilities, such as [[gas station]]s, which will often operate under the store's name. This setup is especially common in the [[United Kingdom]], with major chains such as [[Tesco]] and [[Sainsbury's]] having many locations operating under this format.
Some grocery stores (especially large ones) form the centerpiece of a larger complex that includes other facilities, such as [[gas station]]s, which will often operate under the store's name. This setup is especially common in the [[United Kingdom]], with major chains such as [[Tesco]] and [[Sainsbury's]] having many locations operating under this format.

Some groceries specialize in the foods of a certain nationality or culture, such as [[Italian culture|Italian]], [[Polish culture|Polish]], oriental or [[Middle-Eastern]]. These stores are known as ethnic markets and may also serve as gathering places for immigrants.<ref name="Carter">{{cite book| title = Exploring Honolulu's Chinatown | edition = | last = Carter| first = F| coauthors = | year = 1988| publisher = Bess Press, Honolulu | id = | pages = }}</ref> In many cases, the wide range of products carried by larger supermarkets has reduced the need for such speciality stores.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}} The variety and availability of food is no longer restricted by the diversity of locally grown food or the limitations of the local growing season.<ref>The Economic Research Service of the [[United States Department of Agriculture|USDA]]</ref>


==History==
==History==
===Early history===
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Beginning as early as the 14th century, a grocer (or "purveyor") was a dealer in comestible [[dry goods]] such as [[spices]], [[Bell pepper|peppers]], [[Sugarloaf|sugar]], and (later) [[Cocoa solids|cocoa]], [[tea]] and [[coffee]]. These items were bought in bulk, hence the term grocer from the French "grossier" meaning wholesaler, this term derived from Medieval Latin "grossarius" <ref>Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd Edition, 1989</ref> from which we also derive the word gross (meaning a quantity of twelve dozen, or 144).
===Europe===

[[File:Mercearia (grocery store) - Braga, Portugal.jpg|thumb|150px|Traditional grocery store in [[Portugal]]]]
As increasing numbers of [[staple food|staple]] foodstuffs became available in [[Canning|cans]] and other less-perishable packaging, the trade expanded its province. Today, grocers deal in a wide range of staple food-stuffs including such perishables as [[meat]]s, [[produce]] and [[dairy product]]s. Such goods are, hence, ''groceries''.
Because many European cities ([[Rome]], for example) are already so dense in population and buildings, large supermarkets, in the American sense, may not replace the neighborhood grocery store. However, 'Metro' stores have been appearing in town and city centres in many countries, leading to the decline of independent smaller stores. Large out-of-town [[supermarket]]s and [[hypermarket]]s, such as [[Tesco]] and [[Sainsbury's]] in the [[United Kingdom]], have been steadily sapping the trade from smaller stores. Many grocery shop chains like [[Spar (retailer)|Spar]] or [[Mace (store)|Mace]] are taking over the regular family business model.
However, traditional stores throughout [[Europe]] have been preserved because of their history and their classic appearance. They are sometimes still found in rural areas, although they are rapidly disappearing.


In some countries such as the United States, grocery stores descended from [[trading post]]s, which sold not only food but clothing, household items, tools, furniture, and other miscellaneous merchandise. These trading posts evolved into larger retail businesses known as [[general store]]s. These facilities generally dealt only in "dry" goods such as flour, dry beans, [[baking soda]], and canned foods. Perishable foods were instead obtained from specialty markets; Fresh meat was obtained from a [[butcher]], milk from a local [[dairy]], eggs and vegetables were either produced by families themselves, bartered for with neighbours, or purchased at a [[farmers' market]] or a local [[greengrocer]].
===The United States===
[[File:Piggly-wiggly.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Piggly Wiggly]] was the first [[self-service]] grocery store, opening in 1916.]]
[[File:1922 Detroit store.jpg|thumb|left|Polish grocery, 1922, [[History of Detroit, Michigan|Detroit]].]]
U.S. grocery stores are descended from [[trading post]]s, which sold not only food but clothing, household items, tools, furniture, and other miscellaneous merchandise. These trading posts evolved into larger retail businesses known as [[general store]]s. These facilities generally dealt only in "dry" goods such as flour, dry beans, [[baking soda]], and canned foods. Perishable foods were instead obtained from specialty markets: Fresh meat was obtained from a [[butcher]], milk from a local [[dairy]], eggs and vegetables were either produced by families themselves, bartered for with neighbours, or purchased at a [[farmers' market]] or a local [[greengrocer]].


Many rural areas still contain general stores that sell goods ranging from cigars to imported napkins. Traditionally, general stores have offered credit to their customers, a system of payment that works on trust rather than modern [[credit card]]s. This allowed farm families to buy staples until their harvest could be sold.
Many rural areas still contain general stores that sell goods ranging from cigars to imported napkins. Traditionally, general stores have offered credit to their customers, a system of payment that works on trust rather than modern [[credit card]]s. This allowed farm families to buy staples until their harvest could be sold.


===Modernisation===
The first [[self-service]] grocery store, [[Piggly Wiggly]], was opened in 1916 in [[Memphis, Tennessee]] by [[Clarence Saunders (grocer)|Clarence Saunders]], an inventor and entrepreneur.<ref name="[[Piggly Wiggly History]]">{{cite web|url=http://www.pigglywiggly.com/cgi-bin/customize?aboutus.html|title=Where It Began}}</ref><ref name="[[TN History for Kids]]">{{cite web|url=http://www.tnhistoryforkids.org/people/clarence_saunders|title=Clarence Saunders}}</ref> Prior to this innovation, customers gave orders to clerks to fill. Saunder's invention allowed a much smaller number of clerks to service the customers, proving successful (according to a 1929 [[Time magazine]]) "partly because of its novelty, partly because neat packages and large advertising appropriations have made retail grocery selling almost an automatic procedure."<ref name="Time 1929">{{cite news|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,880518,00.html|title="Piggly Wiggly Man", Time, Monday, Feb. 25, 1929." | date=1929-02-25 | accessdate=2010-05-04}}</ref>
[[File:Piggly-wiggly.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Piggly Wiggly]] was the first [[self-service]] grocery store, opening in 1916.]]
The first [[self-service]] grocery store, [[Piggly Wiggly]], was opened in 1916 in [[Memphis, Tennessee]] by [[Clarence Saunders (grocer)|Clarence Saunders]], an inventor and entrepreneur.<ref name="[[Piggly Wiggly History]]">{{cite web|url=http://www.pigglywiggly.com/cgi-bin/customize?aboutus.html|title=Where It Began}}</ref><ref name="[[TN History for Kids]]">{{cite web|url=http://www.tnhistoryforkids.org/people/clarence_saunders|title=Clarence Saunders}}</ref> Prior to this innovation, the customer of a grocer would walk up to a counter or display and ask for the food items they wanted to purchase, or hand over a grocery list, as an order that the grocer or other clerks would then fill and charge the customer for. Saunder's invention allowed a much smaller number of clerks to service the customers, proving successful (according to a 1929 [[Time magazine]]) "partly because of its novelty, partly because neat packages and large advertising appropriations have made retail grocery selling almost an automatic procedure."<ref name="Time 1929">{{cite news|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,880518,00.html|title="Piggly Wiggly Man", Time, Monday, Feb. 25, 1929." | date=1929-02-25 | accessdate=2010-05-04}}</ref>


[[File:Frozen Durian Fruit.jpeg|thumb|right|150px|Frozen [[durian]] fruit grown in East Asia at a Chinese grocery in [[Ottawa]], [[Canada]]. Grocery stores specializing in imported so-called "ethnic" foods are popular in many immigrant communities, offering imported food that large supermarket chains do not.]]
The US Labor Department has calculated that food purchased at home and in restaurants is 13% of household purchases, behind 32% for housing and 18% for transportation. The average US family spent $280 per month or $3,305 per year at grocery stores in 2004. The newsletter Dollar Stretcher survey estimated $149 a month for a single person, $257 for a couple and $396 for a family of four.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stretcher.com/stories/990705a.cfm |title=Grocery Spending Survey |publisher=Stretcher.com |date=2006-06-20 |accessdate=2014-04-22}}</ref>
[[File:Storeisle.png|thumb|left|An example of an American grocery store aisle]]


The early supermarkets began as [[Chain store|chains]] of grocer's shops. The development of supermarkets and other large grocery stores has meant that smaller grocery stores often must create a [[niche market]] by selling unique, premium quality, or ethnic foods that are not easily found in supermarkets. A small grocery store may also compete by locating in a mixed commercial-residential area close to, and convenient for, its customers. Organic foods are also becoming a more popular niche market for the smaller stores.
[[File:Frozen Durian Fruit.jpeg|thumb|left|150px|Frozen [[durian]] fruit grown in East Asia at a Chinese grocery in [[Ottawa]], [[Canada]]. Grocery stores specializing in imported so-called "ethnic" foods are popular in many immigrant communities, offering imported food that large supermarket chains do not.]]
[[File:Storeisle.png|thumb|Example of an American grocery store aisle.]]


American grocery stores operate in many different styles ranging from rural family-owned operations, such as [[IGA (supermarkets)|IGAs]], boutique chains, such as [[Whole Foods Market]] and [[Trader Joe's]] to larger supermarket chain stores. In some places, [[food cooperative]]s or "co-op" markets, owned by their own shoppers, have been popular. However, there has recently been a trend towards larger stores serving larger geographic areas. Very large "all-in-one" [[hypermarket]]s such as [[Walmart|Wal-Mart]] and [[Target Corporation|Target]] have recently forced consolidation of the grocery businesses in some areas. The global buying power of such very efficient companies has put an increased financial burden on traditional local grocery stores as well as the national [[supermarket]] chains.
Grocery stores operate in many different styles ranging from rural family-owned operations, such as [[IGA (supermarkets)|IGAs]], boutique chains, such as [[Whole Foods Market]] and [[Trader Joe's]] to larger supermarket chain stores. In some places, [[food cooperative]]s or "co-op" markets, owned by their own shoppers, have been popular. However, there has recently been a trend towards larger stores serving larger geographic areas. Very large "all-in-one" [[hypermarket]]s such as [[Walmart|Wal-Mart]] and [[Target Corporation|Target]] have recently forced consolidation of the grocery businesses in some areas. The global buying power of such very efficient companies has put an increased financial burden on traditional local grocery stores as well as the national [[supermarket]] chains.


[[File:Mercearia (grocery store) - Braga, Portugal.jpg|thumb|150px|A traditional grocery store in [[Portugal]]]]
When a small grocery store is in competition with large supermarkets, the grocery store often must create a [[niche market]] by selling unique, premium quality, or ethnic foods that are not easily found in supermarkets. A small grocery store may also compete by locating in a mixed commercial-residential area close to, and convenient for, its customers. Organic foods are also becoming a more popular niche market for the smaller stores.
However, many European cities ([[Rome]], for example) are already so dense in population and buildings, large supermarkets, in the American sense, may not replace the neighborhood grocery store. However, 'Metro' stores have been appearing in town and city centres in many countries, leading to the decline of independent smaller stores. Large out-of-town [[supermarket]]s and [[hypermarket]]s, such as [[Tesco]] and [[Sainsbury's]] in the [[United Kingdom]], have been steadily weakening trade from smaller stores. Many grocery shop chains like [[Spar (retailer)|Spar]] or [[Mace (store)|Mace]] are taking over the regular family business model.
However, traditional stores throughout [[Europe]] have been preserved because of their history and their classic appearance. They are sometimes still found in rural areas, although they are rapidly disappearing.

==Companies==
{{further|List of supermarket chains}}
{{generalize|section|date=April 2014|reason=can't have this much detail for every brand in the world (would be too long), so this needs to be more general information on brand and chains}}


===Latin America===
===Latin America===
[[File:Tucuman Hipermercado Jumbo Portal Tucuman.JPG|thumb | right | 150px | Jumbo Hypermarket view]]
[[File:Tucuman Hipermercado Jumbo Portal Tucuman.JPG|thumb | right | 150px |A [[Jumbo (hypermarkets)|Jumbo]] hypermarket in Argentina]]

Grocery stores in [[Latin America]] have been growing fast since the early 1980s. A large percentage of food sales and other articles take place in grocery stores today. Some examples are the [[Chile]]an chains [[Cencosud]] (Jumbo and Santa Isabel covering [[Chile]], [[Argentina]], [[Brazil]] and [[Peru]]), [[Walmart Chile|Walmart]] ([[Líder|Lider]] and [[Ekono]]) as well as [[Falabella (retail store)|Falabella]] ([[Tottus]] in Chile and Peru and Supermercados San Francisco in Chile). These three chains are subsidiaries of large retail companies which also have other kinds of business units, such as department stores and home improvement outlets. All three also operate their own credit cards, which are a key driver for sales, and they also sell insurance and operate travel agencies. These companies also run some malls in countries such as Argentina, Chile, Peru and Colombia.
Grocery stores in [[Latin America]] have been growing fast since the early 1980s. A large percentage of food sales and other articles take place in grocery stores today. Some examples are the [[Chile]]an chains [[Cencosud]] (Jumbo and Santa Isabel covering [[Chile]], [[Argentina]], [[Brazil]] and [[Peru]]), [[Walmart Chile|Walmart]] ([[Líder|Lider]] and [[Ekono]]) as well as [[Falabella (retail store)|Falabella]] ([[Tottus]] in Chile and Peru and Supermercados San Francisco in Chile). These three chains are subsidiaries of large retail companies which also have other kinds of business units, such as department stores and home improvement outlets. All three also operate their own credit cards, which are a key driver for sales, and they also sell insurance and operate travel agencies. These companies also run some malls in countries such as Argentina, Chile, Peru and Colombia.


Two other chains started in 2008: [[Unimarc]], which bought several small local chains and has over 20% of the grocery segment in Chile; and Southern Cross, a Chilean Investment Fund that has around 8.6% of the supermarket segment, mainly oriented to the southern areas of the country. In [[Puerto Rico]], popular grocery stores include [[Pueblo Supermarkets]] and [[Amigo Supermarkets|Amigo]].
Two other chains started in 2008: [[Unimarc]], which bought several small local chains and has over 20% of the grocery segment in Chile; and Southern Cross, a Chilean Investment Fund that has around 8.6% of the supermarket segment, mainly oriented to the southern areas of the country. In [[Puerto Rico]], popular grocery stores include [[Pueblo Supermarkets]] and [[Amigo Supermarkets|Amigo]].


==Food donations==
==Types==
[[File:A grocery store in Cheung Hong Estate.jpg|right|thumb|A grocer within the [[Cheung Hong Estate]] in [[Hong Kong]]]]

Grocery stores can be small or large physical stores, or electronic (online) stores.

===Small format===
====Convenience store====
A [[convenience store]] is a small store that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, snack foods, candy, toiletries, soft drinks, tobacco products, and newspapers. They differ from [[general store]]s and village shops in that they are not in a rural location and are used as a convenient supplement to larger stores.

Although larger, newer convenience stores may have quite a broad range of items, the selection is still limited compared to supermarkets, and in many stores only 1 or 2 choices are available. Convenience stores usually charge significantly higher prices than ordinary grocery stores or [[supermarket]]s, which they make up for with convenience by serving more locations and having shorter cashier lines.<ref>''Understanding Food: Principles and Preparation'' By Amy Brown</ref> Many convenience stores offer food ready to eat, such as breakfast sandwiches and other breakfast food.

====Delicatessen====
A [[delicatessen]] store is a type of food store where fine foods are sold. In this sense the name is often abbreviated to ''deli''.<ref>[http://www.wordcentral.com/cgi-bin/student?delicatessen Definition of delicatessen - Merriam-Webster's Student Dictionary<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The term ''delicatessen'' means "[[delicacies]]" or "fine foods". In [[English language|English]], "delicatessen" originally meant only this specially prepared food.

====Greengrocer====
A [[greengrocer]] is a [[retail]] trader in [[fruit]] and [[vegetable]]s; that is, in green groceries.<ref name="IntrotoPoetry">{{cite book|last=Driscoll|first=Michael|coauthors=Meredith Hamiltion, Marie Coons|title=A Child's Introduction to Poetry|publisher=Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers|location=151 West 19th Street New York, NY 10011|date=May 2003|pages=12|isbn=1-57912-282-5|url=http://search.barnesandnoble.com/A-Childs-Introduction-to-Poetry/Michael-Driscoll/e/9781579122829}}</ref> Greengrocer is primarily a [[United Kingdom|British]] and [[Australian]] term, and greengrocers' shops were once common in cities, towns and villages.

<center><gallery caption="" widths="175px" heights="175px">
File:Miscelanea en Xalatlaco.jpg|A miscelanea, a type of family-run [[convenience store]] in Mexico
File:La-pineda.jpg|[[Delicatessen]] foods
File:Da-Lat-market.jpg|A [[green grocer]] in Vietnam
</gallery></center>

====Health food store====
A [[health food store]] is a type of grocery store that primarily sells [[health food]]s, [[organic food]]s, local [[produce]], and often [[nutritional supplement]]s. Health food stores typically offer a wider or more specialized selection of foods than conventional grocery stores for their customers, such as people with special dietary needs.

Health food stores became much more common in the 1960s in connection to the newly emerging [[ecology movement]] and [[counterculture]].<ref>Jenkins, Nancy. [http://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/04/garden/health-food-and-the-change-in-eating-habits.html HEALTH FOOD AND THE CHANGE IN EATING HABITS.] ''[[The New York Times]].'' 4 April 1984.</ref>

====Milk bar====
[[File:Mosgiel Knox's Milk Bar.JPG|thumb|A [[milk bar]] in [[Mosgiel]], [[New Zealand]]]]
In [[Australia]], a [[milk bar]] is a [[suburban]] local [[general store]] or café. Similar terms include [[tuck shop]]s, [[delicatessen]]s or "delis", [[corner shop]]s. The first businesses using the name "milk bar" was started in India in 1930. By the late 1940s, milk bars had evolved to include not only [[groceries]], but also became places where young people could buy ready-made food, [[non-alcoholic drink]]s and could socialise.

===Large format===
====Supermarket====
A [[supermarket]], a large form of the traditional grocery store, is a [[self-service]] [[Retail#Types of retail outlets|shop]] offering a wide variety of [[food]] and household products, organized into aisles. The supermarket typically comprises [[meat]], fresh [[produce]], [[dairy]], and baked goods aisles, along with shelf space reserved for canned and packaged goods as well as for various non-food items such as kitchenware, household cleaners, pharmacy products and [[pet]] supplies.

Other services offered at some supermarkets may include those of [[bank]]s, [[Coffeehouses|cafés]], [[Day care|childcare centres/creches]], [[Photographic processing|photo processing]], [[video rental]]s, [[pharmacy|pharmacies]] and/or [[petrol station]]s.

====Hypermarket====
{{Seealso|List of hypermarkets}}
A [[hypermarket]] is a [[big-box store|superstore]] combining a [[supermarket]] and a [[department store]]. The result is an expansive [[retailing|retail]] facility carrying a wide range of products under one roof, including full groceries lines and [[product (business)|general merchandise]]. Another category of stores sometimes included in the hypermarket category is the membership-based [[wholesale]] [[warehouse club]]s that are popular in [[North America]]

===Electronic===
{{seealso|List of online grocers}}
An [[online grocer]] is a recent phenomenon that has developed as a type of [[e-commerce]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Xie|first=Kang|title=A Strategic Analysis of Online Grocery and Its Future Outlook|date=2004|publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division|url=http://books.google.com.au/books/about/A_Strategic_Analysis_of_Online_Grocery_a.html?id=lPFCOAAACAAJ&redir_esc=y}}</ref> Several online grocery stores exist, one of the oldest available in the U.S. being [[Peapod]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Tam|first=Donna|title=Peapod who? Online grocer shows Amazon, Walmart how it's done|url=http://www.cnet.com/news/peapod-who-online-grocer-shows-amazon-walmart-how-its-done/|publisher=CNET|accessdate=28 April 2014}}</ref> Other large retailers in the U.S. have started similar models, including [[AmazonFresh]] and [[Amazon Prime Pantry|Prime Pantry]], both run by [[Amazon.com]], [[Walmart's]] To-Go service, and smaller companies like Yummy.com and RelayFoods.<ref>{{cite web|title=Online grocery growth tests U.S. retail agility|url=http://www.thecitywire.com/node/31404#.U0wkUtzYKVY|publisher=The City Wire|accessdate=28 April 2014}}</ref> In the U.S. sales from online grocers in 2013 were $15 billion.<ref>{{cite web|last=Cassel|first=Ian|title=The Food Tech Revolution|url=http://seekingalpha.com/article/2141123-the-food-tech-revolution|publisher=Seeking Alpha|accessdate=28 April 2014}}</ref> Online grocery stores are more popular in Europe, where sales from 2012 in Britain alone were €7.1 billion, and in certain markets are projected to double from 2012 to 2016.<ref>{{cite web|last=Thomasson|first=Emma|title=Online grocery sales to double in key European markets by 2016: IGD|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/23/net-us-retail-online-grocery-idUSBRE99M1IO20131023|publisher=Reuters|accessdate=28 April 2014}}</ref>
{{-}}

==Food marketing==
[[Food marketing]] brings together the producer and the consumer. It is the chain of activities that brings food from "farm gate to plate".<ref>Wansink, ''[[Marketing Nutrition]]'', 501–3.</ref> The marketing of even a single food product can be a complicated process involving many producers and companies. For example, fifty-six companies are involved in making one [[canning|can]] of chicken noodle soup. These businesses include not only chicken and vegetable processors but also the companies that transport the ingredients and those who print labels and manufacture cans.<ref>Smith, 501–3.</ref> The food marketing system is the largest direct and indirect non-government employer in the United States.

In the pre-modern era, the sale of surplus food took place once a week when farmers took their wares on market day into the local village marketplace. Here food was sold to [[grocer]]s for sale in their local shops for purchase by local consumers.<ref name="silhnc">Mead, 11–19.</ref><ref name=Jango>Jango-Cohen</ref> With the onset of industrialization and the development of the food processing industry, a wider range of food could be sold and distributed in distant locations. Typically early grocery shops would be [[counter]]-based shops, in which purchasers told the shop-keeper what they wanted, so that the shop-keeper could get it for them.<ref name="silhnc"/><ref>Benson</ref>

In the 20th century, [[supermarket]]s were born. Supermarkets brought with them a [[self service]] approach to shopping using [[shopping cart]]s, and were able to offer quality food at lower cost through [[economies of scale]] and reduced staffing costs. In the latter part of the 20th century, this has been further revolutionized by the development of vast warehouse-sized, out-of-town supermarkets, selling a wide range of food from around the world.<ref>Humphery</ref>

Unlike food processors, food retailing is a two-tier market in which a small number of very large [[Corporation|companies]] control a large proportion of supermarkets. The supermarket giants wield great purchasing power over farmers and processors, and strong influence over consumers. Nevertheless, less than 10% of consumer spending on food goes to farmers, with larger percentages going to [[advertising]], transportation, and intermediate corporations.<ref>Magdoff, Fred (Ed.) "[T]he farmer's share of the food dollar (after paying for input costs) has steadily declined from about 40 percent in 1910 to less than 10 percent in 1990."</ref>

===Prices===
[[Image:GrainProducts.jpg|thumb|right|175px|Some essential food products including [[bread]], [[rice]] and [[pasta]]]]
{{Main|2007–2008 world food price crisis|Food vs. fuel}}
It was reported on March 24, 2008, that consumers worldwide faced rising food prices.<ref name="cnn24march2008"/> Reasons for this development include changes in the weather and dramatic changes in the [[global economy]], including higher [[oil price]]s, lower food reserves, and growing consumer demand in [[China]] and [[India]].<ref name="cnn24march2008"/> In the long term, prices are expected to stabilize.<ref name="cnn24march2008"/> Farmers will grow more grain for both [[fuel]] and food and eventually bring prices down.<ref name="cnn24march2008"/> Already this is happening with [[wheat]],<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE57652C20090807 Reuters]</ref><ref>[http://www.gmanews.tv/story/185426/inflation-slows-in-feb-as-food-prices-stabilize GMA News]</ref> with more [[crops]] to be planted in the [[United States]], [[Canada]], and [[Europe]] in 2009. However, the [[Food and Agriculture Organization]] projects that consumers still have to deal with more expensive food until at least 2018.<ref name="cnn24march2008"/>

[[File:Annual real food price indices.svg|thumb|Food, meat, dairy, cereals, vegetable oil, and sugar price indices, deflated using the World Bank Manufactures Unit Value Index (MUV).<ref>{{cite web|title=Annual real food price indices|url=http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/worldfood/Reports_and_docs/Food_price_indices_data.xls|accessdate=19 March 2014}}</ref> ]]
It is rare for the spikes to hit all major foods in most countries at once. Food prices rose 4% in the United States in 2007, the highest increase since 1990, and are expected to climb as much again in 2008. As of December 2007, 37 countries faced food crises, and 20 had imposed some sort of food-price controls. In China, the price of [[pork]] jumped 58% in 2007. In the 1980s and 1990s, farm subsidies and support programs allowed major grain exporting countries to hold large surpluses, which could be tapped during food shortages to keep prices down. However, new trade policies have made agricultural production much more responsive to market demands, putting global food reserves at their lowest since 1983.<ref name="cnn24march2008">"Food prices rising across the world", CNN. 24 March 2008</ref>

Food prices are rising, wealthier Asian consumers are westernizing their diets, and farmers and nations of the third world are struggling to keep up the pace. The past five years have seen rapid growth in the contribution of Asian nations to the global fluid and powdered milk manufacturing industry, which in 2008 accounted for more than 30% of production, while China alone accounts for more than 10% of both production and consumption in the global fruit and vegetable processing and preserving industry. The trend is similarly evident in industries such as soft drink and bottled water manufacturing, as well as global cocoa, chocolate, and sugar confectionery manufacturing, forecast to grow by 5.7% and 10.0% respectively during 2008 in response to soaring demand in Chinese and Southeast Asian markets.<ref>[http://www.ibisworld.com/newsletter/issues/us/08may/news.htm: May 2008, Global Trends: – Food Production and Consumption: The China Effect]{{dead link|date=December 2013}}, ''IBISWorld''</ref>

Rising food prices over recent years have been linked with social unrest around the world, including rioting in [[Bangladesh]] and [[Mexico]],<ref name="Ind">{{cite news | url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/the-real-hunger-games-how-banks-gamble-on-food-prices--and-the-poor-lose-out-7606263.html | title=The real hunger games: How banks gamble on food prices – and the poor lose out | publisher=The Independent | accessdate=April 1, 2012}}</ref> and the [[Arab Spring]].{{citation needed|date=July 2012}}

In 2013 [[Overseas Development Institute]] researchers showed that [[rice]] has more than doubled in price since 2000, rising by 120% in real terms. This was as a result of shifts in trade policy and restocking by major producers. More fundamental drivers of increased prices are the higher costs of fertiliser, diesel and labour. Parts of Asia see rural wages rise with potential large benefits for the 1.3 billion (2008 estimate) of Asia's poor in reducing the poverty they face. However, this negatively impacts more vulnerable groups who don't share in the economic boom, especially in Asian and African coastal cities. The researchers said the threat means social-protection policies are needed to guard against price shocks. The research proposed that in the longer run, the rises present opportunities to export for Western African farmers with high potential for rice production to replace imports with domestic production.<ref>Steve Wiggins and Sharada Keats, August 2013, The end of cheap rice: a cause for celebration? ODI Briefings 82, http://www.odi.org.uk/publications/7687-end-cheap-rice-prices-rural-labour-wages</ref>

The US Labor Department has calculated that food purchased at home and in restaurants is 13% of household purchases, behind 32% for housing and 18% for transportation. The average US family spent $280 per month or $3,305 per year at grocery stores in 2004. The newsletter Dollar Stretcher survey estimated $149 a month for a single person, $257 for a couple and $396 for a family of four.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stretcher.com/stories/990705a.cfm |title=Grocery Spending Survey |publisher=Stretcher.com |date=2006-06-20 |accessdate=2014-04-22}}</ref>

==Food waste==
[[File:Surplus Foods Are Quality Foods.gif|thumb | Surplus food for sale in the U.S. in 1936]]
[[File:Surplus Foods Are Quality Foods.gif|thumb | Surplus food for sale in the U.S. in 1936]]
{{main|Food waste}}
{{main|Food waste}}


As of 2011, 1.3 billion tons of food, about one third of the global food production, are lost or wasted annually. The [[USDA]] estimates that 27% of food is lost annually.<ref>[http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/FoodReview/Jan1997/Jan97a.pdf FANAPR97.QXD<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Some grocery stores donate leftover food (for example, [[Delicatessen|deli foods]] and bread past their expiration date) to homeless shelters or charity kitchens.<ref name="Werner">{{cite book| title = Society on the Run: A European View of Life in America| edition = Hardcover| last = Peters| first = Werner| coauthors = | year = 1996| publisher = M.E. Sharpe | isbn = 1-56324-586-8| page = 12}}</ref>
As of 2011, 1.3 billion tons of food, about one third of the global food production, are lost or wasted annually. The [[USDA]] estimates that 27% of food is lost annually.<ref>[http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/FoodReview/Jan1997/Jan97a.pdf FANAPR97.QXD<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In [[developing country|developing]] and [[developed country|developed countries]] which operate either [[Commercial agriculture|commercial]] or [[Industrial agriculture|industrial]] [[agriculture]], food waste can occur at most stages of the [[food industry]] and in significant amounts.<ref name="kantor3">Kantor, p. 3.</ref>


[[Food packaging|Packaging]] protects food from damage during its transportation from farms and factories via warehouses to retailing, as well as preserving its freshness upon arrival.<ref name="defrapack" /> Although it avoids considerable food waste,<ref name="defrapack">{{cite web |title = Making the most of packaging, A strategy for a low-carbon economy |url = http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/producer/packaging/documents/excec-summary-pack-strategy.pdf |format=PDF| publisher = [[Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs|Defra]] |year = 2009 |accessdate = 2009-09-13}}</ref><ref>{{cite book
==Cultural impact==
|last = Robertson
Some groceries specialize in the foods of a certain nationality or culture, such as [[Italian culture|Italian]], [[Polish culture|Polish]], oriental or [[Middle-Eastern]]. These stores are known as ethnic markets and may also serve as gathering places for immigrants.<ref name="Carter">{{cite book| title = Exploring Honolulu's Chinatown | edition = | last = Carter| first = F| coauthors = | year = 1988| publisher = Bess Press, Honolulu | id = | pages = }}</ref> In many cases, the wide range of products carried by larger supermarkets has reduced the need for such speciality stores.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}}
|first = Gordon L.
{{-}}
|title = Food packaging: principles and practice
|publisher = CRC Press
|year = 2006
|url = http://books.google.com/?id=NFRR6GayR74C&pg=PA1&dq=#v=onepage&q=
|accessdate = 2009-09-27
|isbn = 978-0-8493-3775-8}}</ref> packaging can compromise efforts to reduce food waste in other ways, such as by contaminating waste that could be used for animal feedstocks.<ref>{{cite journal | title = Review of Food Waste Depackaging Equipment | url = http://www.wrap.org.uk/downloads/Food_waste_depackaging_equipment_FINAL_REPORT_April_09.1db473c1.6989.pdf |format=PDF| publisher = [[Waste and Resources Action Programme]] (WRAP) | year = 2009 | accessdate = 2009-09-27}}</ref>

Retail stores can throw away large quantities of food. Usually, this consists of items that have reached their either their [[Shelf life|best before, sell-by or use-by dates.]] Food that passed the best before, and sell-by date, and even some food that passed the use-by date is still edible at the time of disposal, but stores have widely varying policies to handle the excess food. Some stores put effort into preventing access to poor or homeless people, while others work with charitable organizations to distribute food.

Retailers also contribute to waste as a result of their contractual arrangements with suppliers. Failure to supply agreed quantities renders farmers or processors liable to have their contracts cancelled. As a consequence, they plan to produce more than actually required to meet the contract, to have a margin of error. Surplus production is often simply disposed.<ref>*{{Cite book | title = Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal: The True Cost of What the Global Food Industry Throws Away | first = Tristram | last = Stuart | publisher = Penguin | year = 2009 | isbn = 0-14-103634-6}}</ref> Some grocery stores donate leftover food (for example, [[Delicatessen|deli foods]] and bread past their expiration date) to homeless shelters or charity kitchens.<ref name="Werner">{{cite book| title = Society on the Run: A European View of Life in America| edition = Hardcover| last = Peters| first = Werner| coauthors = | year = 1996| publisher = M.E. Sharpe | isbn = 1-56324-586-8| page = 12}}</ref>

== Notable grocers ==
{{Main|List of grocers}}
* [[Jack Cohen (businessman)|Sir John Cohen]]
* [[Thomas Lipton|Sir Thomas Lipton]]
* [[Horatio G. Loomis]], one of the organizers of the Chicago Board of Trade
* [[Hugh Mason (grocer)|Hugh Mason]], whose original shop in St. James's Market led directly to the founding of London's Fortnum and Mason's <ref name=autogenerated1>[http://www.fortnumandmason.com/c-358-our-history-fortnum-and-mason.aspx Our History | Fortnum and Mason<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
* [[William Fortnum]], whose enterprise as a footman in the household of [[Anne, Queen of Great Britain]] in recycling the stubs of the royal candles led to the partnership that became Fortnum and Mason's <ref name=autogenerated1 />
* [[O.L. Rapson]], the first manager at the [[Grand Rapids Hotel]], and later a grocer in [[Marlin, Texas]].
* [[John James Sainsbury]]


==See also==
==See also==
{{Portal|Companies|Food}}
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Big-box store]]
* [[Bulk foods]]
* [[Bulk foods]]
* [[Convenience store]]
* [[Food cooperative]]
* [[General store]]
* [[Greengrocer]]
* [[Greengrocer]]
* [[List of convenience stores]]
* [[Grocer]]
* [[List of food cooperatives]]
* [[List of grocers]]
* [[List of grocers]]
* [[List of supermarket chains in Canada]]
* [[List of hypermarkets]]
* [[Supermarket]]
* [[List of online grocers]]
* [[List of supermarket chains]]
* [[List of superstores]]
* [[Self-service]]
* [[Vegetable box scheme]]
{{div col end}}
{{div col end}}

{{Subject bar|portal1=Companies|portal2=Food}}
==Notes==
<references group="note" />


==References==
==References==
{{ref expand|date=May 2014}}
{{reflist|2}}
{{reflist|2}}


==Further reading==
==Further reading==
* Mayo, James M. (1993). [http://books.google.com/books?id=3OKRAAAAIAAJ ''The American grocery store: the business evolution of an architectural space]. Greenwood Press. ISBN 0313265208
* Mayo, James M. (1993). [http://books.google.com/books?id=3OKRAAAAIAAJ ''The American grocery store: the business evolution of an architectural space]. Greenwood Press. ISBN 0313265208
* {{cite journal|last=Raijas|first=Anu|title=The consumer benefits and problems in the electronic grocery store|journal=Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services|date=March 2002|volume=9|issue=2|pages=107–113|doi=10.1016/S0969-6989(01)00024-8|issn=0969-6989}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{Commonscat|Grocery stores}}
{{Commonscat|Grocery stores}}
*{{Wiktionary-inline|grocery}}
* {{Wiktionary-inline|grocery|grocer|grocery|purveyor}}


[[Category:Food retailers]]
[[Category:Food retailers]]
[[Category:Shops]]
[[Category:Shops]]
[[Category:Supermarkets]]
[[Category:Supermarkets]]
[[Category:Sales occupations]]
[[Category:Grocers| ]]


[[he:מכולת]]
[[he:מכולת]]