Super Market Studies

Abstract

This report should be considered as background material for consideration of the Working Group when studying the developments in the field of supermarket: and also when discussing the question of supermarkets inside the Co-operative Movement in the future. No one of the common definitions of the world "supermarket" now being used i Europe can in all respects correspond to what the Working Group is going to discuss. As full agreement on the meaning of the word "supermarket" is impossible to get the Working Group must within itself be able to agree to one definition, Mr. Rolf GJers, Stockholm, has therefore expressed his wish to propose to Working Group to accept the following definition: 2 "Supermarket" is a shop with a selling area of at least 1,000 m . The stock includes besides food, non-food requirements. The whole shop need not neces­sarily work as self-service but the self-selection system must be operated with those groups where self-service does not operate. The word "Self-service and "Self-selection" ought to be distinguished thus; "Self-service" means tl; all payment will be made at checkouts. On the other hand, the "Self-selectic system" means that the customers pay for their goods in each department. The lay-out is often such that the whole selling area is on one floor, but a Supermarket on more than one floor could exist without it being necessary to call it a department store.