rket chain operators can stock more food products in bulk quantities (as occurs in warehouse stores). The buying power of the supermarket chains together with the bulk packaging will permit these grocery store operators to compete in the context of price with both warehouse stores and Super Center stores (Spethmann, 1993, p. 8). Supermarket operators can also locate new stores in mini mall environment that will, to a great extent, mimic the Super Center format (Snyder, 1993, pp. 43 45). At the other pole of the grocery store continuum, an opportunity is being created for minimalist grocery store chain operation. Minimalist grocery stores "skimp on selection as well as every type of service (like bagging) to offer the lowest prices" (Mulqueen, 1993, p. 1495).
In the changing environment of the grocery store industry, the independent (one store or small chain) grocer is even more threatened that in the recent past. The difficulties for these operators have been growing for t
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