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The average number of items sold at a supermarket has ballooned to more 38,000 today from 10,425 in 1977.
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Our local ACME Markets, part of the Albertson chain, sells the private brand "Essential Everyday".
Couple of visits ago, at Pathmark market, I asked the guy stocking the cookie shelves if he could tell me where something was. He apologized profusely and said he didn't work for the store, he worked for a supplier. I knew the soft drink companies do that, but didn't realize other suppliers were also. I wonder if the markets are pushing the suppliers to do it to cut labor costs, or the suppliers are offering it to bargain for more shelf space.
The competition is brutal around here, as I imagine all the densely populated areas are. In order to promote the bottom line, stores are "auctioning" shelf space to suppliers who want to expand their lines, promoting self-checkout to cut cashiers, and pushing store brands with larger margins.