>

SUPERMARKETS—TEMPLES OF COMSUMPTION

By: Jennifer Bahou

November 18, 1998

"Honey, please stop by the supermarketon your way home and pick up some onions, black pepper, and toilet paper, thanks," express many husbands/wives calling their mates at work. The supermarket is a place where people from all ethnicity go to buy their groceries. Jack Hitt, stated in his article written in the New York Times, "The Theory of Supermarkets," that the design of the supermarket "is to shape these items into a landscape that lures us in at the beginning, moves us about in some mysterious way and sends us back out the door." (Hitt 56)

I, myself, decided to take a trip out to the supermarket. This time instead of rushing in with my list of items to get, I entered the supermarket in a calm and slow manner. As I walked through the automatic doors, I was greeted with a smile from the employees at my neighborhood grocery store, Giant. Then I was drawn in by the smell of the fresh oranges, pears, apples, tomatoes and so on. As I walked through the produce section, people seem to be enjoying themselves as they pile up their carts. I saw one older lady humming to a tune while filling her bag with potatoes. I do not know what is about seeing people happy, but it just makes my day, as well. As I passed the produce section, I was attracted to the florist shop by the aroma of healthy, blooming, fresh flowers. My eyes began to daze around at the multi-colored flowers, until I was approached by an employee who came to assist me.

Then I continued to the dairy section where everything is refrigerated. One thing I notice was there were signs, in red and white letters on top of the items; Eggs, Milk, Juice, Meat, Cat food etc.. Also, the rows were spaced out enough that over ten people can walk through comfortably . The bagged and canned foods were stocked tightly, but neatly. There were no items left on the floor. On every item they place two prices; one showed the price of the item from another store and other is Giant’s price. This is a way to convince the consumers to thinking that they are getting a good deal.

Another important thing I found helpful, were additional signs in each aisle. The signs included the number of the aisle and a list of what could be found. As I walked through the aisle of stacked food, I watched young eyes just light up as they see something they want. Then, I see them jumping to joy as their parents place the "wanted" item into their carts. A technique I noticed Giant does to get more buys, is to stock items like Snickers, Kit-Kat, Butterfingers, M&Ms at an angle where it meets the eyes of young kids. Also, at a level where they are able to reach the items. As Hitt stated the objective when stocking the goods is to place them at an eye level of all aged consumers. "Toothbrushes, if placed at eye level, will increase in sales by eight percent," (Hitt 60).

In the back, is where they keep the meat, chicken, and seafood. They are displayed for us in an open freezer and behind it you can see the employees working, through the clear windows. The employees are dressed in their clean, white coats and red aprons cutting and preparing the meat for us. As they come out from the back through the "EMPLOYEE ONLY" door, you can hear music. They are enjoying themselves at their jobs, which is expressed from their faces.

Finally, I come up to the cashier to pay. While I stand in line to await my turn, the soap opera digest on the stand caught my eye. I picked it up and began reading until my turn. Once my turn came I did not get a chance to finish the article and so I decided to buy it. The clerk smiles and says "How are you doing, tonight? He rang up my items and off I went, where I am again greeted on my way out. "Thank you for shopping at Giant. Please come again. Have a great evening," an employee exclaimed with a smile. I exit through the automatic doors and watch others leave, as well, with pleased expressions on their faces.

On my way home, I could not help but realize that Giant’s structure is designed as Hitt described in his article. In the beginning, the blissful employees and fresh essences of fruits, vegetables and flowers lures us in. The big red and white signs walks us through the store. Lastly, another happy and cheerful employee sends us out the door.

Usually, I just rush into the supermarket, grab the things on my list, and leave. This experience has been an eye opener for me. In the Washington Post article, "In Anacostia, Some Food For Thought," by Coutland Milloy, states that the supermarket business is not just money investments but also about morale, self-worth and community spirit. The Store had provided a customer service representative at the entrance, and each of the numerous checkout counters are opened. (Milloy B9). As Ivette Nessim states in her paper, Giant "makes their clients feel like they are shopping at the top of the line business because they do not deserve anything less than that," (Ivette Nessim—Supermarket 1).



WORK CITED

Camp, Charles. American Foodways. Hitt, Jack. "The theory Of Supermarkets." NYT Magazine 3 October 1996: pages 56-61,94,98.

Milloy, Courtland. "In Anascotia, Some Food For thought" 16 March, 1997.

Nessim, Ivette. "Ivette Nessim-Sumpermarket" November 18,1998.

Back to Home