Wal-Mart still gaining

At some point, the last supercenter will go up and Wal-Mart share of grocery sales will plateau, but not now. Wal-Mart's unstoppable rise as a factor in food retailing goes on, reports this story. From Media Post:

Looks like consumers aren't the only ones feeling the pinch of rising food prices: A new study shows that regional grocery chains are increasingly losing their edge to Wal-Mart, as shoppers look to fill their carts with more food bargains. The May study, conducted by BIGresearch, a consumer intelligence company based in Worthington, Ohio, reports that Wal-Mart maintains its No. 1 spot among all adults nationwide, with 16% saying that Wal-Mart is the store they shop most frequently. But regional chains are slipping.

For example, in the Northeast, 9.5% of shoppers say they shop most often at Shop-Rite, a marginal increase, and Stop 'n' Shop stayed flat, while Wal-Mart showed considerable growth in that region. And on the West Coast, Safeway continues to be the most shopped-at store, and its growth is level; Wal-Mart, in the No. 2 slot in that region, is gaining ground.

In the South, Wal-Mart continues to be the powerhouse, where 25% of adults name it as their preferred grocery store, and in the Midwest, it's also tops, favored by 14.9% of shoppers.