Support the fact-based journalism you rely on with a donation to Marketplace today. Give Now!

It's hard to keep costs down at the supermarket, thanks to store design and our emotions

Jul 19, 2022
Grocery stores play on our sense of nostalgia with older music, and strategically placed items may trigger impulse buys, experts say.
Ever notice the nostalgic music playing in grocery stores? That's often intentional — putting customers in a good mood, which might encourage them to buy more.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

How do grocery stores make money when their profit margins are so low?

May 13, 2022
Margins can be as little as 1%. But there are three ways to look at rate of return, and other factors to consider.
Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images

The closing of a Nashville Piggly Wiggly leaves some with few shopping options

May 12, 2022
The chain, which dates back to 1916, in many ways created the business model for a modern grocery store. But some stores are struggling today's retail environment.
Customers continued to trickle in to a Piggly Wiggly in downtown Nashville during the store’s final days. The store closed in April.
Julia Ritchey/WPLN

How companies disguise rising food prices

Jul 20, 2021
Manufacturers and retailers change packaging and use displays and discounts to distract from higher costs.
The cost of food has gone up, but grocers and manufacturers sometimes use tactics that make price jumps less noticeable.
Mario Tama via Getty Images

Grocers are stockpiling, but that probably won't ease the pain of rising prices

Jul 7, 2021
High labor costs and supply shortages could spell higher prices at the checkout lane.
As grocers stockpile food and dry goods, storage costs might be passed on to consumers.
Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP via Getty Images

DoorDash and Albertsons bet heavily on online grocery shopping

Jun 25, 2021
Grocery delivery became an overnight necessity for many during the pandemic, and it may be a habit that will stick.
DoorDash will be partnering with Albertsons to expand its grocery delivery sources.
Eric Baradat/AFP via Getty Images

Some consumers have had a soft spot for avocados during the pandemic

May 5, 2021
Demand for avocados rose about 7% last year. But some consumers found there were drawbacks to buying them via curbside delivery.
With consumers spending more time in grocery stores and restaurants, consumption of avocados is expected to continue to increase.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

Commercial landlords look to grocery stores to fill retail vacancies

Apr 16, 2021
Groceries are recession-proof, they sign long leases and bring foot traffic to strip malls. But there can be too many in one area.
Grocery store chains like Aldi, Food Lion and Lidl have major expansion plans.
Sean Gallup/Getty Images

What does a return to restaurants mean for big-name packaged food brands?

Mar 24, 2021
Companies like General Mills may need to focus on their digital strategies, to keep consumers buying their brands.
A lot will depend on whether consumers continue to work from home, said Victor Martino with Third Wave Strategies.
Luis Ascui/Getty Images

Kroger, offering antibody tests, may be well placed to distribute a vaccine

Dec 3, 2020
Vaccines present opportunity for big retailers in general and grocery chains in particular.
Coronavirus antibody tests are another way for Kroger to get people in the door, and health and wellness is already a major part of the chain’s business model.
Callaghan O'Hare/Getty Images