What is the food item bought most in the grocery stores and...

deeward · #1 03-29-2002, 08:18 PM

Do any of you know which food item is the most purchased one from grocery stores?

Come on! Take a guess.

I know because grocery stores have been our business, and besides, I read this in the union reports.

Also, while we are on the subject of food, which food do you like more than any other?

That seems like a simple question to answer, but,...many people seem to be stumped when hit with that question.

Dee

Ukulele Ike · #2 03-29-2002, 08:35 PM

Hiya, deeward, and welcome!

Posing clever questions to which one already knows the answer is not a primary function of General Questions, so why don't I move this to MPSIMS for you before the Great Big Scary GQ Mods like JillGat and manhattan and DrMatrix come by and hit you on the head with the GQ Two-by-Four?

By the way, MY guess is Frozen Swedish Meatballs. And my favorite food is lima beans.

poohpah chalupa · #3 03-29-2002, 10:17 PM

Gotta be either milk or bread?

fish in the sky · #4 03-29-2002, 10:35 PM

I vote bread. Milk'd be a close second, but then there're lactose intolerent, and vegans, and people who just don't drink much milk. But everybody loves bread.

Joyfulgirl · #5 03-30-2002, 02:39 AM

I also guess bread. I was going to say milk, but I know alot of people who either don't drink it or don't drink much of it.

My favorite, though, is rice. Mmmmmm.

civilize · #6 03-30-2002, 02:55 AM

in Australia, and of course this could vary around the world, the answer is biscuits. Sweet or savoury. - So, what is your answer, deeward?

leechbabe · #7 03-30-2002, 03:11 AM

This Aussie would also vote bread.

Beer is a close second though.

BiblioCat · #8 03-30-2002, 05:55 AM

I think bread and milk are probably the most popular items in a convenience store, not the grocery store.
You can't buy beer in grocery stores here.

I'm going to say breakfast cereal.

racer72 · #9 03-30-2002, 07:26 AM

Canned corn.

cagiva650 · #10 03-30-2002, 07:39 AM

tube steaks

lorinada · #11 03-30-2002, 09:18 AM

My guess is it's not even an edible item - probably something like toilet paper. There are an awful lot of people these days who eat out solely, and even more who eat most of their meals out.

auRa · #12 03-30-2002, 09:41 AM

Wait, wait... We were playing an American version of Trivial Pursuit at my friend's house before Christmas and this question came up. If I recall correctly, the answer was Marlboro cigarettes.

Am I right?

Zyada · #13 03-30-2002, 10:36 AM

lorinada and auRa - he(she?) specified a food item, so TP and cigarettes are out.

You can usually tell what the best sellers are by where they are in the store and how much space they take up. Stores like to put their best sellers in the back and on the sides because that forces shoppers to walk farther for them.

If we were talking about a class of food, I would have to say meat, because people are less likely to buy meat at a convenience store, and the meat section is usually the largest in the store.

Candy is another potential, since that is an impulse item by the cashiers.

But neither of those are food items.

I'm going to go with eggs, that's a fairly large department for one food item.

BTW, eggs are one of my favorite foods.

BiblioCat · #14 03-30-2002, 01:42 PM

I'm sticking with cereal. It's a whole aisle devoted to the stuff! Both sides!

The meat department is as big as the cereal aisle, but people buy more cereal than meat. Look at the carts in the checkout lane.

The egg section is way smaller than either the cereal or meat sections.

Eternal · #15 03-30-2002, 01:46 PM

Says I:

1) Milk
2) Bread
3) 20 oz pop
4) Bananas (those things are a force)
5) misc. candy/gum

Eternal · #16 03-30-2002, 01:48 PM

That's right! Eggs! Revised List:

1) Milk
2) Bread
3) Eggs
4) 20 oz pop
5) Bananas (those things are a force)
6) misc. candy/gum

Green Bean · #17 03-30-2002, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Zyada

If we were talking about a class of food, I would have to say meat, ....
Candy is another potential, since that is an impulse item by the cashiers.
....
But neither of those are food items.

You don't consider meat and candy food? Dare I ask what you do with your meat and candy purchases if you don't eat them?

My guess: Milk

Zyada · #18 03-30-2002, 10:42 PM

I should have put "item" in quotes.

It really depends on the granularity of the survey.

If I can say "meat" then that is what I pick. Heck, I could pick "canned foods"

However, if they differentiate between steak, chicken and shrimp, then that starts dropping meat down the list. And since this has the earmarks of a riddle, i.e. the obvious answer is not the answer, I expect that they are doing this. Also, since this is an industry survey, I expect the granularity to be a bit more specific. You can always roll numbers up, but you can't split them out if they aren't split in the first place.

Thus, eggs - which really can't be split out too much more. Bananas is a good pick too. Toilet paper if non-food items can be picked. Or gum.

Green Bean · #19 03-31-2002, 12:53 AM

That makes good sense, Zyada. I didn't think of it that way.

If we are going to be very specific (granular?) about it, I'd guess that the #1 selling food item is Heinz ketchup.

poohpah chalupa · #20 03-31-2002, 05:24 PM

Yo, deeward, are we getting an answer any time soon?

deeward · #21 03-31-2002, 07:21 PM

All of you WRONG! (what a nasty word)

What people buy most is ..POP!!!!!

Can you beleive it?

To me this is sickening because I'm a hater of pop.

We look around and see thousands of fat people in this country. We whine and complain about overweight. We do handsprings to make ourselves slim and trim. THEN we slurp pop like it was it was a do or die ssituation.

Little kids, when they're hardly older than toddlers, and too small-handed to hold it comfortably run around with big bottles of pop.
Their parents buy it for them...and PRESTO! Then are victoms for life . It's pop, pop, pop, and it isn't diet.

Slurp, slurp , slurp; Pepsi Pepsi, Pepsi , Coke, Coke , Coke.

The last pepsie fanatic I met had a wonderful smile , and I complimented him on his teeth. He said "Oh? You like these huh, and he took them out of his mouth for me to further admire them.

I met another Pepsi sucker who was numb-headed ; as if she were in a trance and very unresponsive. She was a Pepsi fanatic too. I remember her sister was worried about her.

BTW, I love to ask that question about favorite foods. Mine? No, it's not canned corn ; it's popcorn. Next is Jack's hamburgers. No, they are not junk food. They are actually quite wholesome. Another thing...did you know there is NO SUCH THING as "junk food" ?

cagiva650 · #22 03-31-2002, 08:12 PM

Soda Pop?!!! I am not surprised!

Makes me think we ought to be running security checks at beverage plants - We'd be in big trouble if terrorists decided to poison our pop.

Freudian Slit · #23 03-31-2002, 08:17 PM

Oh for god's sakes. Here I was thinking, "Wow, what a wonderful trivia thread" but really, it was a trivia thread masquerading as a reprimand to us. It's like when your mom says, "So who wants COOKIES?" and you say, "Oh yeah, me" and she bashes you on the head with the spatula and starts lecturing you about the starving Ebola ridden bonobos in Ethiopia, and how can you eat cookies at a time like this.

Oh boohoo, people are drinking too much soda. Get over it.

Freudian Slit · #24 03-31-2002, 08:21 PM

Okay, I'm sorry. I just read my post over and decided it was really mean. It's just this thread has made me kind of angry. I didn't mean to offend, and this isn't in the Pit, so I do apologize. You're free to spread your anti-pop message (is it just limited to Pepsi?), and while I respectfully disagree with it, I guess that's okay.

Where's my coke- I'm starting to feel numb and unrseponsive...

clayton_e · #25 03-31-2002, 08:48 PM

Oh no!! It's the end of the world!!! Kids are buying too much pop!!

And one of you people will decide to blame it on the terrorists. "If we let the kids drink pop the terrorists have won."

I know one of you will rationalize it. Yup, you're thinking about it right now, I can tell. If someone mentions a problem, someone will come up with "it's the terrorist's fault."

How about a real problem, The overweight in america? How about the tax problems of america?

It's the terrorist's fault, people are overeating because they're depressed.

It's the terrorist's fault, they're the ones who caused us to bomb their country so that every person named Mohammad is afraid of a texan with nukes.

Pop? Please. And it's soda damn it.

Speaker for the Dead · #26 03-31-2002, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by deeward
All of you WRONG! (what a nasty word)

What people buy most is ..POP!!!!!

...

We look around and see thousands of fat people in this country. We whine and complain about overweight. We do handsprings to make ourselves slim and trim. THEN we slurp pop like it was it was a do or die ssituation.

...

Slurp, slurp , slurp; Pepsi Pepsi, Pepsi , Coke, Coke , Coke.

The last pepsie fanatic I met had a wonderful smile , and I complimented him on his teeth. He said "Oh? You like these huh, and he took them out of his mouth for me to further admire them.

I met another Pepsi sucker who was numb-headed ; as if she were in a trance and very unresponsive. She was a Pepsi fanatic too. I remember her sister was worried about her.

...

...did you know there is NO SUCH THING as "junk food" ?

So basically, you complain and moan about how horrible pop is and how the entire civilized world is going to collapse because we're drinking some sugar water, and then you say that nothing is junk food?

Palve · #27 03-31-2002, 09:07 PM

I recently got over my addiction to caffeine and soda, and I must say I don't regret it one bit. I'm not spending all that money on soda, and my dentist is proud (he's the one who told me I should quit, because all the acid literally wore the enamel off many of my teeth). I never realized how many calories were in the stuff, either.

moe.ron · #28 04-01-2002, 02:40 AM

It may help, it may not:

Sparkling water seems to be a great replement for me. Here's how it goes:

Me: hmmm... I think I'd like some soda with this meal. <glug, glug, glug, glug, glug>

My tummy: Hey!!!! WTF is this shiit!?

Me: This tastes really nasty!!!

My tummy: This tastes really nasty!!!

<Some time later>

My tummy: Ok, I hate sparkling water as much as you, at least give me some red meat.

Me: Hey, look!!! I'm not fat anymore!!! Have some more bubbly water, tummy.

My Tummy: Good Lord, how I miss beer, Pepsi, and red meat.

Satan: What happened to all those people with tummy cancer!?

poohpah chalupa · #29 04-01-2002, 04:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Speaker for the Dead
So basically, you complain and moan about how horrible pop is and how the entire civilized world is going to collapse because we're drinking some sugar water, and then you say that nothing is junk food?

jeeez...I don't think dee mentioned anything about the fall of civilization. In general, America probably does consume more soda than probably healthy, but that's our choice.

Zoggie: I loved your analogy about Mom's cookies, although I haven't a clue as to what a "bonobo" is. Still, I gotta try this tactic with my family.

deeward: Good question and the fact that no one here got it is probably a fair indication that we don't realize how much soda we drink. The answer should have been more obvious, given that there is usually an entire aisle dedicated to soft drinks. That being said, it's true: your diatribe might have more appropriate in the Pit...rants about the "thousands of fat people in this country" really belong in a forum where we can respond accordingly (i.e.-pound on you for your intolerant disdain for Pop-Drinkers. BTW, I don't think your consumption of Jack's burgers are going to win you any health awards either).
As for me, yes, I buy my share of soda...diet sodas.

I don't drink the sugar-ladened stuff myself. Again: my choice.

OpalCat · #30 04-01-2002, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Green Bean

You don't consider meat and candy food? Dare I ask what you do with your meat and candy purchases if you don't eat them?

My guess: Milk

I know a lot of people (like me!) who don't consider meat to be food.

I'm not sure why this guy is so freaked out that people drink a lot of soda. Big deal. So he is a "hater of pop" (god I hate the word 'pop'!) ... we should care? Hey, I am a vegetarian, do you see me ranting about how so many people are eating meat?

leechbabe · #31 04-01-2002, 06:04 PM

deeward sorry mate but I'm going to have to do this - cite please.

deeward say's

Quote:

What people buy most is ..POP!!!!!

Really isn't any polite way to say I don't believe you. So I'm just going to ask for proof please.

Speaker for the Dead · #32 04-01-2002, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by poohpah chalupa

jeeez...I don't think dee mentioned anything about the fall of civilization. In general, America probably does consume more soda than probably healthy, but that's our choice.

Didn't you know? Any rant about overweightness automatically makes the ranter an anarchist.

leechbabe · #33 04-01-2002, 07:40 PM

deeward how do you measure sales? - in units or dollars, or weight for weight?

Ta Mate.

BiblioCat · #34 04-01-2002, 07:56 PM

If candy's not considered a "food," then soda shouldn't be considered a food, either. It's just liquid sugar.
I never thought I'd say this, but I'd like to see a cite, too, please.

As Palve said, I also recently broke my addiction to soda (I hate the word "Pop" too, OpalCat!). I had a sip of Coke today to swallow an aspirin and it was just sickly sweet. Yuck! I'd rather have plain old water.