Do you remember going to the grocery store with your parents when you were a kid? It most likely was a different experience than going to the supermarket today. In this blog post, we will take a look at the evolution of food shopping from 1950 to present day. You might be surprised at some of the changes that have taken place!

In 1950, the average grocery store was about 12,000 square feet. This might seem small to us now, but it was actually pretty large for the time period. The average supermarket today is around 42,000 square feet. That’s a big difference! Grocery stores back in 1950 also had a lot less variety than they do now. Usually, you would only be able to find basic items like flour, sugar, eggs, and milk. Nowadays, you can find just about anything you need at the supermarket.

One of the biggest changes to supermarkets over the years has been the introduction of self-checkout. In 2010, only about 16% of stores had the option to use self-checkout lanes. By 2016 that percentage had increased to almost 30%. In conclusion, the amount of shoppers choosing to do their own check out  instead of waiting for a cashier, is continually increasing.

Another big change we’ve seen is the rise of online grocery shopping. In 2018, around 20% of Americans reported shopping for groceries online in the past 30 days. In comparison to a few  years ago, this is a huge increase. This method of grocery shopping is expected to increase as more shoppers choose to use it.

What does the future of food shopping look like? It’s hard to say exactly as the future is mostly unknown. What we can count on is progress. How we shop in the future will be very different compared to how we do it today. I can’t wait to see what changes take place over the next few years!

What do you think about these changes? Have you noticed any others that I didn’t mention?