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As someone from Scandinavia I was surprised to to find out that there is even homogeneity in brand names. In Scandinavia if you from Denmark to Norway, you will

As someone from Scandinavia I was surprised to to find out that there is even homogeneity in brand names. In Scandinavia if you from Denmark to Norway, you will likely stop shopping at Netto and instead shop at REMA 1000, if you travel to Iceland, you might find your self shopping at Nettó again, but it is a whole different chain (more likely you will shop at Bónus). In the USA you will probably shop at Safeway in New York, just as you would in California. In comparison all of Scandinavia has a similar population size as the New York metropolitan area.

PaulDavisThe1st 6y ago
Actually, the one example you've picked there (grocery stores/supermarkets) is quite a bad one. There are very few national supermarkets in the US. Ironically, Whole Foods Market (now owned by Amazon) is as close as any to this title. Safeway may once have been widespread, but in terms of stores bearing that brand (as opposed to be owned by the company), there are not many Safeways anymore. Instead, there are regional supermarket chains, some of which branch out a little into areas where they are not the dominant store. Examples: Albertsons: mostly in the western states HEB: Texas only Publix: southern states (all the way down to Key West) Piggly Wiggly: hard to describe, but mostly a stripe running up through the midwest Fairway: NYC, NJ and almost nowhere else Now, had you written that about, say drug stores, it would be more true. Everywhere you go it will either be a CVS, Rite Aid or Walgreens. There are independents, but these 3 dominate the entire country, with some regional focus, but always a national reach.
- bombcar 6y ago
  And there are regional brands in many areas - just below Subway and McDonalds you’ll find things like Culver’s or Jack in the Box or In-n-Out - regional. Gas stations and restaurants are often regional, especially as cuisine varies. Of course you can find McDonalds everywhere but you’ll find those in Europe, also. I think the main thing that makes it feel superficially homogeneous is the shared language - which is now even more shared since the advent of Hollywood and national entertainment.
- lhorie 6y ago
  Trader Joes has a pretty wide presence across the country (in 43 out of 50 states). And while they're not supermarkets per se, Walmart and Target have also got into groceries in recent years. There's also Costco in a similar boat.
  - degenerate 5y ago
    Trader joes is the best example of homogenous because they sell mostly their own brand cross-country, so local stock doesn't dictate what is available on the shelf. The prices remain static across most of their stores as well (for most items) which is a HUGE reason why New York and Cali folks love shopping there.
- bluedino 6y ago
  Is Walmart not a national supermarket?
- vitus 6y ago
  While Albertsons itself might be mostly in western states, the parent company owns plenty of other chains in other states, e.g. Safeway or Jewel-Osco. These chains all run the same promotions, carry the same generic brands, etc.
  - PaulDavisThe1st 5y ago
    Thanks. I didn't realize that the parent company of Safeway had gobbled up Albertsons as well. Good to know.
    - vitus 5y ago
      It was actually the other way around. :)

PaulDavisThe1st 6y ago

Actually, the one example you've picked there (grocery stores/supermarkets) is quite a bad one. There are very few national supermarkets in the US. Ironically, Whole Foods Market (now owned by Amazon) is as close as any to this title. Safeway may once have been widespread, but in terms of stores bearing that brand (as opposed to be owned by the company), there are not many Safeways anymore. Instead, there are regional supermarket chains, some of which branch out a little into areas where they are not the dominant store. Examples: Albertsons: mostly in the western states HEB: Texas only Publix: southern states (all the way down to Key West) Piggly Wiggly: hard to describe, but mostly a stripe running up through the midwest Fairway: NYC, NJ and almost nowhere else Now, had you written that about, say drug stores, it would be more true. Everywhere you go it will either be a CVS, Rite Aid or Walgreens. There are independents, but these 3 dominate the entire country, with some regional focus, but always a national reach.

bombcar 6y ago
And there are regional brands in many areas - just below Subway and McDonalds you’ll find things like Culver’s or Jack in the Box or In-n-Out - regional. Gas stations and restaurants are often regional, especially as cuisine varies. Of course you can find McDonalds everywhere but you’ll find those in Europe, also. I think the main thing that makes it feel superficially homogeneous is the shared language - which is now even more shared since the advent of Hollywood and national entertainment.
lhorie 6y ago
Trader Joes has a pretty wide presence across the country (in 43 out of 50 states). And while they're not supermarkets per se, Walmart and Target have also got into groceries in recent years. There's also Costco in a similar boat.
- degenerate 5y ago
  Trader joes is the best example of homogenous because they sell mostly their own brand cross-country, so local stock doesn't dictate what is available on the shelf. The prices remain static across most of their stores as well (for most items) which is a HUGE reason why New York and Cali folks love shopping there.
bluedino 6y ago
Is Walmart not a national supermarket?
vitus 6y ago
While Albertsons itself might be mostly in western states, the parent company owns plenty of other chains in other states, e.g. Safeway or Jewel-Osco. These chains all run the same promotions, carry the same generic brands, etc.
- PaulDavisThe1st 5y ago
  Thanks. I didn't realize that the parent company of Safeway had gobbled up Albertsons as well. Good to know.
  - vitus 5y ago
    It was actually the other way around. :)