Supermarkets lure shoppers by peddling a variety of goods and services, such as banking, floral and gift shops, bakeries, delis, prepared foods, photo processing and pharmacies. Specialty services may suffer now that Internet companies are zeroing in on niche markets such as greeting cards, health and beauty supplies, pharmaceuticals and pet products. That trend is accompanied by increasing concern over the nutritional value of restaurant fare, which, compared with home-cooked foods, is higher in fat and sodium and lower in fiber, calcium and iron, says the government's report. Our Mississippi roots taught us the value of a balanced family supper. The family buys groceries at a supermarket close by and stocks up on bulk items at Sam's.
Nutrition is always a concern.
If we go to a fast-food place we usually get chicken. Statistics show that Americans make an average of 2.2 trips to the grocery store each week. The Internet isn't the only technology transforming the grocery experience. One Illinois grocery chain gives shoppers palm computers to place electronic orders from home. When the bar code of an empty box of cereal is scanned, the item is added to an electronic shopping list.