Streamlining Shopping

Shopping for food in supermarkets is such an everyday part of life that, for many people, it is hard to imagine a time when such shops did not exist. There are many older people, however, who remember when most groceries were sold in small, simple ‘counter-service’ shops. Only half a century ago, most food was acquired from staff who would pick, weigh and wrap it. In a society where personalised service was the norm, few retailers believed that Britons would ever be willing to join their American cousins in ‘wandering round a store hunting for goods’.