A textbook example of how distant economic decisions can have seismic impacts on local communities can be found in what is happening right now to the Shoppers Food & Pharmacy supermarket chain.
For more than 40 years, Shoppers has been providing affordable, quality groceries in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, making two major contributions to the region’s economy and quality of life: It provides good union jobs with fair wages and health and retirement benefits, and it provides fresh, healthy food in many lower-income communities that would otherwise be food deserts.
Unfortunately, these benefits may be ripped away and our community will be left poorer, literally and figuratively, unless we act now.
A company based in Providence, R.I., United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) purchased Supervalu, the previous owner of Shoppers, last October and immediately announced it had no intention of being in the retail grocery business. It is now trying to sell all Shoppers stores and has made no commitment to ensuring that the new owners continue to provide sustainable, union jobs or fresh, healthy, and affordable food. Recent reports indicate that the company may close some, if not all, of the locations or sell them to non-grocery retail operations.
This is the latest and potentially final blow to a company launched by a local family that eventually became a Wall Street pinball. While the ownership changed, in each case, the corporate owners failed to adequately invest in the company. Despite difficult circumstances, Shoppers store associates — members of United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 400 — were there day in and day out, working hard to serve their community and keep the company successful.