Stores Magazine - November 2007 - (Page 32) EXECUTIVE SUITE / COVER STORY BY SUSAN REDA, EXECUTIVE EDITOR Size matters . . . but it turns out that in the supermarket arena, it doesn’t matter as much as it did a few years ago. As America’s obsession with full-size SUVs, “Big Gulp” drinks and starter mansions begins to wane, so too has its enthusiasm for big-box food retailing. New research compiled by SIRS finds that the supercenter format — championed by Wal-Mart and imitated by numerous competitors — is not “packing them in” the way it once did. 32 STORES / NOVEMBER 2007 oday, smaller stores that cater to consumers’ desire for prepared foods, more fresh produce and a more enjoyable shopping experience are gaining steam. By sidestepping a supercenter approach for one that connects with shoppers on a more emotional level, several chains and brands have succeeded in developing breakthrough concepts in a crowded marketplace, according to SIRS’ research. Publix, Wegman’s and Bloom are among the supermarket concepts shoppers say they are gravitating toward – stores where the square footage doesn’t come close to rivaling the 200,000-sq.-ft. high-water mark. The SIRS data consists of consumer research first amassed in 2002, and then replicated earlier this year. In all, more than 3,000 consumers were queried by the Ft. Mitchell, Ky.-based market research firm in an effort to gather information about grocery shopping behavior and store preferences in five key markets. T WWW.STORES.ORG http://WWW.STORES.ORG
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