02/13/08 The Art of Food Shopping

How does your supermarket stack up? For a growing number of people shopping for food is becoming a sensory experience, something pleasantly anticipated like to a trip to Starbucks. Urban shopping lists typically include new foods and ingredients many consumers can't pronounce from exotic locations they will never visit. The Organic Consumer Association points out that grocery stores are following the lead of upscale department stores by incorporating mood lighting, tasting bars and even piping in pleasant aromas. As the next generation of shoppers comes of age, a demographic dependant on texting and ipods, food outlets are revamping themselves to be ready &in other words to be "cool" . . Safeway for one is opening life style stores, havens where the coffee and tea section features rich wood floors and warm lighting where wine buyers are beckoned to sample from the person behind tasting bar instead of squatting and squinting to read labels. Despite new designs that cry to us to linger longer, when I am out of toilet paper or cat food I am going to give my five star rating to any grocery store that can get me out the door the quickest.