• intensely_human
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    24 days ago

    Is there any reason a supermarket couldn’t be replaced with it’s contingent parts?

    Mainly just economics. Supermarkets tend to have cheaper prices, and it’s probably a result of consolidating the operations to share resources (loading docks, refrigeration, payroll, etc)

    • magiccupcake@lemmy.world
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      24 days ago

      Supermarkets should have cheaper prices, but now that they have formed a monopoly of just a few companies they are not.

      Small shops keep supermarkets competitive, without them they become monopolistic.

      • Drusas@kbin.run
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        23 days ago

        That’s not what I see here in Seattle. Yes, the supermarkets are monopolistic, but they are still significantly less expensive than going to a butcher, a baker, etc.

        • magiccupcake@lemmy.world
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          23 days ago

          It’s mostly an issue in rural and suburban areas. The grocery store closest to me feels like it’s price gouging (Safeway) , and I try and go to other grocery stores for bigger trips like Wegmans or H-Mart.

          Meat is especially bad, like $10/lb for ground chicken bad. Meanwhile at H-Mart it’s $3/lb.

          • Drusas@kbin.run
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            23 days ago

            I see. I do live in an urban area these days. Anything specialized is overpriced (or maybe not overpriced, but expensive).

      • intensely_human
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        24 days ago

        I agree. Which is why it was such a tragedy when we deliberately killed so many small shops in 2020.