WASHINGTON - Supermarket operators recorded significant gains in profit margins in the past year despite increases in energy costs, the Food Marketing Institute here said last week in its Annual Financial Review.
e report's 37-year history.
Most of the companies surveyed - 87.5% - said they had increased energy costs during the year. Retailers said they spent an average of 1.72% of their sales on energy. Energy-cost increases for store operations were up an average of 9.5%, while energy costs for transportation rose an average of 15.4%. Warehousing energy costs were up 4.6%.
Most retailers - 57.1% - said they did not pass those costs along to customers and do not plan to do so.
