| A modern supermarket can be divided
into three main sections: the entrance-exit area (including checkstands), the
space along the four walls, and the central area that consists of long rows of
two-sided shelves with aisles between them. The entrance of a supermarket always leads customers directly to the shopping carts and shopping baskets. Sometimes it is impossible to leave through the entrance because the automatic doors open only one way or because there is a turnstile inside the market that moves in one direction only. The walls near the entrance and exit are reserved for large and heavy items, so that customers can pick up these kinds of items on their way out. Ordinarily the back wall of a supermarket is reserved for meats. The meats are always arranged according to kind. Poultry, such as chicken and turkey, is in one part of the meat section. Pork is in another part, and lamb and beef in another. In the American supermarket, there is more beef than other kinds of meat. There isn' t much fish in most supermarkets and all kinds of meats come in plastic packages. The entire center section of the supermarket consists of numbered rows and aisles. Each row is a long section of two-sided shelves. Certain items, such as bread and pastry, are generally found together in the central aisle section of a supermarket. Most supermarkets also carry nonfood products like toilet paper, toothpaste, soap and detergents. "One-stop Shopping" is possible at a large supermarket, as customers can buy everything they need—both food and nonfood products—at one store. |