Development of Food in the 1950's: The Supermarket

A critical aspect in the development of the food industry in the United States during the 1950’s was the creation of the indoor supermarket. Supermarkets originated as early as the 1930’s, yet did not begin to gain in popularity or grow into their modern form until the post-World War II era.

Several factors contributed to the rise of supermarkets in the 1950’s. The expansion of suburban living areas was one of the greatest contributions to their rise. Supermarkets needed large areas to build stores and the necessary open land could be found in open developing areas where land was cheap. They could also be surrounded by parking lots, attracting the new population of car drivers. Supermarkets were soon seen to turn quick profits as operating costs remained low due to the role of customers in picking out and packaging their own food, a difference from the open-air markets that preceded them. Supermarkets also were able to profit from the sheer volume of products provided at low prices. A significant aspect of the low cost of food was the increase in branded and packaged foods, a trend that will be examined in future posts.

All of these factors combined to create a booming expansion of the supermarket industry during the 1950’s. According to a New York Times article from January 3^rd, 1950, Food Fair Stores began investing heavily in indoor supermarkets at the top of the decade. As the article states, the company’s new supermarket program “will involve the expenditure of more than $5 million during the next year or more, and possibly $12 million within the next three years. Most of this outlay will be for the construction of modern supermarkets” (New York Times, 1950). Overall, economic and social factors contributed to the rise of supermarkets during the 1950’s and set the stage for significant change in the food industry as the decade moved on.