Grocers They Think Us Stupid Perhaps

[Codeine]

145. Grocers don't work as a group. The idea that we do is laughable.

We can't. You'd be hard-pressed to find a more cutthroat industry than grocery retail, and the notion that we do anything in unison is ridiculous. In my part of California there are an enormous number of choices for the grocery consumer, and I'm fighting for every customer possible.

There will always be businesses willing to carry the product whether it loses an ounce or a serving every few years or not, so if I tell my distributor (I get most grocery product from a large co-op that operates on the West Coast) I'm not going to carry their product if the manufacturer makes it smaller the only impact that will have is assuring that me, my other managers, my boxboys, and my cashiers become unemployed and a family-owned store in business since 1959 ceases to operate.

Stater Brothers, Ralph's, Von's, and Wallyworld and the new powerful Hispanic chains are all within a mile or so of my store -- if customers can't get baking powder or Cheerios or frozen pizzas at my store they'll get all of it at a competing store and we're left without jobs.