Making ends meet.

Making ends meet was a concern to more than 60% of our shoppers. This concern has been echoed by many, including Lee Scott of Wal-Mart, who acknowledges that more shoppers are financially stressed and living from payday to payday. The Missing Class, a new book from a Princeton sociologist, says that 54 million American adults are living in a "nether region" above the poverty level but below the middle class. One of our shoppers wrote: "We're in a new development where several of our neighbors are losing their homes and I've been laid off. We 're learning something about how our grandparents felt during the Great Depression." Marketers have been so busy and successful pursuing the affluent that it's easy and dangerous to look past the struggle facing many consumers, especially those who have lost or are facing the loss of jobs or, even worse, homes. The pursuit of mass luxury is ironic at a time when luxury is increasingly based on status rather than the quality of workmanship.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Food related concerns rated Percent

by 100 shoppers this Concerned

summer Food quality 99 Produce quality, safety, 85 and prices Clear pricing 83 Eating healthy 82 Food prices in general 74 Freshness of what's 73 available Freshness dating 72 My weight 72 Meat quality, safety, and 71 prices Fats/Trans fats 70 Food safety/restaurants 70 Food safety/food at home 66 Organic food prices 65 Country of origin 64 Making ends meet 63 Local food 56 Labeling 55 Sustainability/Environment 54 Store brands 53 Service hours at service 52 departments Heart disease 47 High fructose corn syrup 46 Sugar 46 Cancer 45 Check out lines 45 Blood pressure 44 Lighting 37 Weight of family member(s) 37 Cholesterol 36 Packaging 36 Unit pricing 36 Other allergies 35 Getting enough exercise 33 Organic food availability 32 Food allergies 31 Diabetes 27 Parking 18 Advertising 17 Sugar substitutes 9