Oh Well, That's How It Is

I suppose, in the interests of full disclosure, which is the purpose of writing these observations and comments, I should reveal fully how I feel about finally taking my shopping leave of the supermarket I've been a faithful shopper at for at least fifteen years. Having been driven to that decision by my dissatisfaction with their lack of due diligence in presenting their clients with produce in good condition.

The Food Basics store, in addition, was always too small for comfort, too limited in its space to adequately store and shelve all the items that most supermarkets offer. Its aisles were always crowded, and shoppers always bumped into one another, decrying in the process, the inadequate space. On the other hand, its limited size meant it couldn't indulge, as most other supermarkets did, in displaying and selling non-food items to quite the same extent.

It bothered me too that, despite that I'd made a point of asking, on several occasions, that management wouldn't agree to having an area set aside for the collection of voluntary food staples to benefit the local food cupboard; they were simply not interested. Citing lack of adequate space as reason for their disinterest. Which 'lack of space' did not deter them from finding space for the sale of non-food items.

And the store was notorious for the too-frequent lack of freshness of produce. Which simply meant that one had to carefully select the best that was available there. And feel good about those times when fresh fruits and vegetables, whether imported or representing produce from the province in season, were available in outstanding condition. Worse than that, however, was the lack of care in handling perishable foodstuffs. Or the lazy misidentification of sources.

It has since been brought home to me anew that virtually all supermarkets have a problem when it comes to proper and adequate warehousing, delivery and handling of perishable goods. So that, now that we're shopping, both of us together, my husband and me, at one of the large 'super stores' that advertises unbeatable prices for first quality products, we still have to exercise due caution in selection our purchases; simply not to the same extent.

And the truth of it is, I miss the limited aisle space of the old store. You knew where everything was located. At this new superstore everything is spread out in long, wide aisles, hosting so many choices so many of which I have no interest in whatever, that perusing the shelves to find those items that are basic and of interest to me is more of a chore, taking far more energy and time expended, and it's downright irritating.

Certainly it takes time to become intimate with a store's layout, and I've credited that. And we've been able to take advantage of some very good buys in areas that we appreciate. But the truth is, the enjoyment of food shopping has been enhanced largely by the fact that we now share it, with my husband agreeing to accompany me to a venue he appreciates whereas before his detestation of the disarray and crowded conditions in the former supermarket kept him from participating.

Although prices are fairly comparable, they're still not as 'basic' at the super store as they were at the Food Basics store, with the exception of specials, although there are many specials to take advantage of. So it's the quality of the products for a decent price that has us agreed we've made the right choice. The wider choice, advantageous in that regard.