Groceries Imports by Country

This chart shows Groceries Imports by Country.

A grocery store is a retail store that primarily sells food. A grocer is a bulk seller of food. Grocery stores often offer non-perishable food that is packaged in cans, bottles and boxes, with some also having fresh produce, butchers, delis, and bakeries.

Large grocery stores that stock significant amounts of non-food products, such as clothing and household items, are called supermarkets. Some large supermarkets also include a pharmacy, and customer service, redemption and electronics sections.

Some grocery stores form the centerpiece of a larger complex that includes other facilities, such as gas stations, which will often operate under the store's name.Some groceries specialize in the foods of a certain nationality or culture, such as Italian, Polish, oriental or Middle-Eastern. These stores are known as ethnic markets and may also serve as gathering places for immigrants.

In many cases, the wide range of products carried by larger supermarkets has reduced the need for such speciality stores. The variety and availability of food is no longer restricted by the diversity of locally grown food or the limitations of the local growing season.

Rocery stores operate in many different styles ranging from rural family-owned operations, such as IGAs, boutique chains, such as Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe's to larger supermarket chain stores.

In some places, food cooperatives or "co-op" markets, owned by their own shoppers, have been popular. However, there has recently been a trend towards larger stores serving larger geographic areas.