Club stores were cited as the top center-store threat to supermarkets this year (5% in 2021), 13% cited dollar stores (10% in 2021) and 11% pointed to limited-assortment discount grocers (5% in 2021).
Just 8% called direct-to-consumer channels a competitive threat, dropping from 19% last year, when DTC was No. 2.
“There's no reason to play Walmart’s game,” a survey participant said, explaining that supermarkets shouldn’t waste valuable shelf space with slow-moving items or stock too many items.