History of Grocery store in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: May 29, 2026

A grocery store is a retail establishment primarily selling a variety of food products, both fresh and packaged. While in the US, the term "grocery store" often equates to a supermarket, in the UK, food-selling shops are specifically identified as grocers or grocery shops. Essentially, it's a place where people can purchase their food and household supplies.

1916: Piggly Wiggly Opens

In 1916, the first self-service grocery store, Piggly Wiggly, was opened in Memphis, Tennessee, by Clarence Saunders. This innovation changed the grocery store model from "over the counter" service to a self-service format.

1929: Piggly Wiggly Success

In 1929, Time magazine noted Piggly Wiggly's success due to its novelty and effective advertising which made retail grocery selling almost automatic.

1930: First Milk Bar

In 1930, the first business using the name "milk bar" was started in India. Milk bars later evolved to include groceries, ready-made food, and non-alcoholic drinks, becoming social gathering places.

2004: Average US Family Grocery Spending in 2004

In 2004, the average US family spent $280 per month or $3,305 per year at grocery stores.

March 24, 2008: Rising Food Prices

On March 24, 2008, it was reported that consumers worldwide faced rising food prices due to factors like weather changes, higher oil prices, lower food reserves, and increased demand in China and India.

2008: New Grocery Chains Started in 2008

In 2008, two grocery chains started: Unimarc in Chile, and Southern Cross, a Chilean Investment Fund, which focused on the southern areas of the country.

2011: Global Food Waste in 2011

As of 2011, approximately 1.3 billion tons of food, representing about one-third of global food production, was lost or wasted annually.

2012: Online Grocer Sales in Britain

In 2012, online grocery sales in Britain alone were €7.1 billion.

2013: Online Grocer Sales in the US

In 2013, sales from online grocers in the US reached $15 billion.

2014: EU Year Against Food Waste

The European Union designated 2014 as the "Year Against Food Waste", leading to new markets for previously rejected food items. Supermarkets launched campaigns to reduce waste by selling imperfect fruits and vegetables at reduced prices.

2016: Projected Growth of Online Grocers in Europe

In 2016, online grocer sales in certain European markets were projected to double compared to 2012.

2016: Largest Hispanic Supermarkets in 2016

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

2019: Online Food Purchases in the US

As of 2019, approximately 3% of food in the US was purchased from online retailers such as Amazon.com.

2021: Global Food Waste Analysis

A 2021 analysis by the United Nations Environment Programme estimated global food waste at 931 million tonnes, equivalent to about 121 kg per person, across households, food service, and retail sectors.

2022: UN Biodiversity Conference Agreement

At the 2022 UN Biodiversity Conference, nations agreed 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

In 2023, IBISWorld estimated that US ethnic grocery stores would account for approximately $51 billion in sales, representing 6% of the total $819 billion in US supermarket sales.