U.S. Supermarkets: Characteristics and Services

摘要

Fewer but larger stores than a decade ago characterize the U.S. supermarket industry. The conventional store size of 10,000 to 30,000 square feet (ft(2)) is being succeeded by superstores of 30,000 to 50,000 ft(2). Format, size, sales volume, location, operating hours, and services are changing to meet the needs of the consumer. Coupon redemption was the most popular service offered by supermarkets. Utility bill payments were the least popular. Twenty-nine percent of stores in a 1982 nationwide supermarket price survey were open longer than 15 hours per day, with 42 percent of these open 24 hours.