History of Grocery store in Timeline

A grocery store is a retail establishment that primarily sells a variety of food products, both fresh and packaged. In the United States, the term "grocery store" is often used interchangeably with "supermarket." In the United Kingdom, food stores are commonly referred to as grocers or grocery shops.

1916: Piggly Wiggly Opened

In 1916, the first self-service grocery store, Piggly Wiggly, was opened in Memphis, Tennessee by Clarence Saunders. This innovation allowed customers to retrieve items themselves, reducing the number of clerks needed.

1929: Success of Piggly Wiggly

In 1929, Time magazine attributed the success of Piggly Wiggly to its novelty, neat packages, and large advertising appropriations which made retail grocery selling almost an automatic procedure.

1930: First Milk Bar Started

In 1930, the first business using the name "milk bar" was started in India. Later, by the late 1940s, these milk bars evolved into places where young people could buy ready-made food and non-alcoholic drinks, and socialize.

2004: Household Spending on Food in the US

In 2004, the average US family spent $280 per month or $3,305 per year at grocery stores. The US Labor Department calculated that food purchased at home and in restaurants accounted for 13% of household purchases.

March 24, 2008: Rising Food Prices Worldwide

On March 24, 2008, it was reported that consumers worldwide were facing rising food prices. This was due to weather changes, higher oil prices, lower food reserves, and growing consumer demand in China and India.

2008: New Grocery Chains Started

In 2008, two new grocery chains started: Unimarc in Chile, which acquired several small local chains; and Southern Cross, a Chilean Investment Fund.

2011: Global Food Waste

As of 2011, approximately 1.3 billion tons of food, about one third of the global food production, were lost or wasted annually. The USDA estimated that 27% of food was lost annually in the US.

2012: Online Grocer Sales in Britain

In 2012, online grocery store sales in Britain alone amounted to €7.1 billion. These markets were projected to double from 2012 to 2016.

2013: Online Grocer Sales in the US

In 2013, sales from online grocers in the US reached $15 billion. Many online grocery stores aim to provide quality food products with timely delivery and the convenience of ordering online.

2014: EU's Year Against Food Waste

The European Union declared 2014 as the "Year Against Food Waste." In response, retailers like Intermarche in France launched campaigns like "inglorious fruits and vegetables" to reduce waste, selling imperfect produce at reduced prices.

2016: Projected Growth of Online Grocers in Europe

From 2012 to 2016, certain European markets projected a doubling of online grocery store sales, indicating significant growth in this sector.

2016: Largest Ethnic Grocery Chains in the US

In 2016, the largest Hispanic supermarket chains in the US were Superior Grocers, with approximately $1.6 billion in sales, and El Súper-Bodega Latina, a division of Mexico's Chedraui Group, with approximately $1.2 billion in sales.

2019: Online Food Retail in the US

As of 2019, approximately 3% of food in the US was purchased from online retailers, such as Amazon.com. The majority of food purchases still occurred at traditional brick-and-mortar grocery stores.

2021: Global Food Waste Analysis

A 2021 analysis by the United Nations Environment Programme found that food waste was a challenge in all countries and economic levels. Global food waste was estimated at 931 million tonnes (around 121 kg per person) across households, food service, and retail sectors.

2022: Agreement to Reduce Food Waste

In 2022, the UN Biodiversity Conference saw nations agree to achieve a 50% reduction in food waste by 2030 as part of climate change mitigation efforts.

2023: US Ethnic Grocery Store Sales

In 2023, it was estimated that US ethnic grocery stores would make up about $51 billion in sales, representing 6% of the total approximately $819 billion in US supermarket sales.

2030: UN Sustainable Development Goal Target 12.3

The UN's Sustainable Development Goal Target 12.3 aims to cut global per capita food waste by 50% at retail, consumer levels, and throughout production and supply chains by 2030.