Glossary

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

adjustable-shelf gondola A shelving unit in which the shelves can be adjusted up or down to fit different-sized items such as canned meats and spices.

aisle display A display located in the aisle area of a supermarket.

audit strip The tape inside the cash register that shows the sales during the day.

bagger The employee who packs groceries into sacks to be carried home by the customer.

bake-off bakery An on-site bakery in a supermarket that receives unbaked, frozen dough from outside bakeries and bakes it in the store.

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bank A predetermined amount of money given to each checker at the beginning of the shift.

blocking Making shelves look full by leveling and straightening merchandise.

bone Cut meat away from the bones.

boxed beef Vacuum-packed beef in the form of primal cuts or subprimal cuts; an economical alternative to a full carcass of beef.

braising A method of cooking in which food is first browned in a pan on top of the stove, then liquid is added, the pan is covered tightly, and the food simmers until done.

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broiling A method of cooking in which food is placed directly under or over a heat source in an oven or on an outdoor grill.

bulk department A produce department in which more than half the fruits and vegetables are displayed individually, in loose displays.

butter Churned cream, often with salt added for flavor.

buying Purchasing everything that will be sold in a market, and everything required to run the market.

buying change Obtaining change by exchanging bills from a checker's cash drawer for coins or smaller denominations of currency.

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carcass An animal body.

case movement A number on a shelf label that shows the number of cases of an item sold each week.

case pack The number of items in a case.

catering Takeout party service offered by many supermarkets' deli operations.

chain food store A supermarket that is owned by a company that operates 11 or more similar stores.

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checker The employee who completes the exchange of merchandise for payment.

checkstand The place in the store where the customer or checker unloads the groceries and the customer pays for them.

checkstand display A display at a checkstand, usually featuring impulse items such as candy, gum, razors, and magazines.

cherry picker Someone who travels to several stores to buy only the advertised specials.

code-date Clearly mark merchandise arrival dates to prevent old merchandise, especially produce, from being confused with new.

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compartment tray A removable tray that fits in the cash drawer, with compartments for currency and coins.

contaminate To spread filth or germs; contaminated food can cause illness or death.

convenience store A small retail self-service store selling a limited line of fast-moving food and nonfood items, usually with extended hours of operation.

courtesy booth An area in a supermarket where shoppers come to return merchandise, make special requests, or ask to speak to the manager; also called a customer service center.

cream A dairy product taken from whole milk, with varying amounts of butterfat.

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c-store Convenience store.

curd The solid portion of the milk in the cheese-making process.

departmentalization A way of organizing a supermarket by grouping related products together into organizational units, each with its own manager.

deterioration When meat turns brownish red after sitting for some time, a signal that the meat has lost freshness and quality.

direct store delivery (DSD) Delivery directly from a manufacturer to a store, bypassing a warehouse.

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end-of-aisle display The display area at the end of a supermarket aisle.

feature A product sold at a reduced price.

FIFO First in, first out; a method for rotating stock to make sure older merchandise is sold first.

fish fillets Whole boned sides of fish, usually small fish.

fish steaks Cross sections sliced from large, dressed fish; contains bones from the ribs and back.

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food stamps Coupons issued by the U.S. government for the purchase of food.

fortified Describes a product to which vitamins have been added to make it more nutritious.

freezer burn A condition that occurs when frozen food has dried out because it has been frozen too long.

front-end operation The front of a supermarket, including checkstands, shopping carts, a courtesy booth, and some merchandise displays.

garnish A decoration made of food that improves the appearance of other foods.

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general merchandise All nonfood items in a grocery store, except health and beauty aids; includes housewares, toys, greeting cards, and hardware.

half-case cutting A method of opening cases of merchandise in which a person cuts a box halfway between the top and the bottom so it can be opened like a book; used with cases containing two or more layers of cans or jars.

health and beauty aids (HBA) A category of nonfood items that includes cosmetics, hair care products, vitamins, and dieting aids.

high-demand items Products that are in great demand, such as butter, eggs, and milk.

high spenders Shoppers who spend a lot each week on groceries, but not necessarily at a single store.

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homogenized milk Usually whole milk in which globules of butterfat have been mixed evenly to prevent a cream layer accumulating at the top.

hypermarket A giant store of at least 200,000 square feet, featuring a very extensive selection of food, general merchandise, and services.

ice cream A frozen dairy product made from cream, milk, sugar, and flavorings.

ice milk A frozen dairy product similar to ice cream, but made without cream.

impulse item Something a customer buys that they didn't intend to purchase when they came into the store.

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independent food store A supermarket that is owned by a company that operates fewer than 11 similar stores.

island gondola A shelving unit with shelves on all four sides; often used for housewares and bakery items.

leader A product whose price has been sharply reduced in order to attract customers.

load line The proper level to which items in display freezers should be stocked.

loss leader A piece of merchandise sold at or below cost in order to attract customers.

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loyalists Customers who buy most of their groceries at a single store.

marbling Small flecks of fat interspersed through meat, which add flavor and tenderness.

margarine A dairy product similar to butter but made from milks, milk products, oils, and other ingredients, which usually has less cholesterol than butter.

minimum shelf requirement A number on a shelf label that shows the minimum number of items for which space should be provided.

natural cheese Cheese made from milk in a process that involves heating, stirring, pressing, and ripening, and separates the curd from the whey.

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open-end gondola A shelving unit with the end piece removed so items are visible from the end of the aisle; often used for large items.

open codes A clearly legible stamp stating the date by which a product should be used.

organically grown produce Fruits and vegetables that are grown without the use of artificial chemicals or pesticides.

outdated The term for merchandise that is past its freshness peak.

over Describes a cash drawer in which the audit strip shows there should be less cash in the drawer.

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pallets Wooden foundations on which merchandise is loaded before being loaded onto a truck.

panbroiling A method of cooking in which food is cooked in a pan on top of the stove with no fat or water added.

panfrying A method of cooking in which food is cooked in a pan on top of the stove with very little fat or oil.

pasteurized milk Milk in which potentially harmful bacteria has been killed with heat.

planogram A predetermined plan for displaying merchandise, either a plan created by a manufacturer for one kind of merchandise, or a plan for a supermarket chain to coordinate the location of displays in several stores.

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point-of-purchase signs Signs in a store that help inform the customer about special buys and newly arrived merchandise.

power items Merchandise that is in high demand.

prepackaged department A produce department in which more than half the fruits and vegetables are displayed in packages (usually created in the preparation room).

preparation room clerk A supermarket employee who prepares merchandise for display, especially in the produce department, by unpacking, trimming, packaging, weighing, and pricing items.

preventive sanitation Practices designed to keep insects and rodents out of a store; includes washing display cases, cleaning equipment, and scrubbing floors.

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pricing pattern A uniform pattern for stamping prices on merchandise in a case to ensure that no item goes unpriced.

primal cuts The first sectioning of a carcass of beef, usually done by a wholesale meat cutter.

process cheese Any cheese product created by blending natural cheeses and sometimes adding other ingredients.

produce Fresh fruits and vegetables.

produce clerk A supermarket employee responsible for helping customers with their produce purchases and for stocking and blocking the produce section.

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proved Describes a cash drawer in which the amounts received according to the audit strip match the cash count.

pull policy A promotional policy aimed at building strong consumer demand for a product.

push policy A promotional policy aimed at markets with the intention of getting retailers to stock a product in order to build supply in the marketplace.

removable-shelf gondola A shelving unit with adjustable, removable shelves; often used for large items and soft drinks.

ripen Age curd to create cheese.

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roasting A cooking method in which food (usually meat) is placed in the oven in an uncovered pan without water and cooked slowly.

sampling Offering free tastes of a new or featured product to customers.

scratch bakery An on-site bakery in a supermarket that produces baked goods from scratch, mixing dough, baking, packaging, and selling bakery items.

seasonal demand Variations in demand for products based on the time of year.

shelf display A sales display in the basic shelf area of the store.

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shelf-extension display A small basket or wire rack that can be attached to a shelf display to promote impulse sales, often of related merchandise.

shelf life The predetermined time that a product can stay on the shelf and still be considered fresh, established by the local store, the vendor, or the manufacturer.

shelf talkers Small signs displayed on store shelves that call attention to advertised items.

sherbet A frozen dessert made from milk, fruit or fruit juice, sugars, and stabilizers.

short Describes a cash drawer in which the audit strip shows there should be more cash in the drawer.

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short-change artist A thief who tricks a checker into giving back more change than is due.

short-coded The term for merchandise that is too near its freshness peak.

shrinkage Weight reduction due to moisture loss that occurs in meat and produce.

sour cream A thick, rich dairy product made of fermented cream.

special A product that has been discounted by a small margin.

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specialty store A retail food store offering a narrow selection of related merchandise.

spoilage When good produce goes bad.

staples Products that are purchased routinely for everyday use, with little decision-making, and must be in stock at all times, such as cleaning supplies and food.

stewing A method of cooking in which food is covered with liquid and cooked in a covered pot on the stove.

stock turnover The rate at which stock is sold and replaced; the number of times the average stock is sold during a specific time period.

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storage The marketing function of holding products before they are sold to consumers; adds to the cost of product distribution.

superette A food store that is larger than a convenience store but smaller than a supermarket; it sells groceries, meats, and produce, and has annual sales of $1 million to $2 million.

supermarket A complete market offering food and nonfood items, including some partial service departments, with a minimum of $2 million yearly sales.

superstore A store that is larger than a supermarket (at least 30,000 square feet), with minimum annual sales of $8 million, offering an extensive selection of nonfood items, and service and perishables departments.

table wine Usually mild-flavored wine, inexpensive enough to be served at the table every day.

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tie-in promotion A promotion that encourages customers to buy items from more than one department in a supermarket.

trade allowance A price reduction given by a vendor to a food retailer.

traditional bakery department A bakery department that sells prepackaged bakery products produced by outside bakery companies.

traffic study A count of the number of customers who pass a certain location in the store.

tray-cutting A method of cutting open a case of merchandise about an inch from the bottom, leaving a tray on which merchandise can be displayed.

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trim Fat and meat cut from bones.

unit pricing Marking products with the price of its smallest unit, or another selected unit of measure such as a pound or ounce.

variety meats Specialty meat items such as tripe, kidney, liver, tongue, and heart.

warehouse store A no-frills, reduced-service, discount-type operation where merchandise is displayed very simply as in a warehouse.

water ice A frozen dessert like sherbet, but without milk; often Popsicles.

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weekly specials Popular items promoted during a given week.

whey The liquid portion of the milk in the cheese-making process.

word of mouth An unpaid form of promotion in which satisfied customers tell other people how much they like a store.

X-cutting A method of cutting open cases in which a person makes an X-shaped cut in the top of the case, the pops the flaps open; used with cases of soft packages such as cereal and cake mixes.

yogurt A custardlike dairy product produced by fermenting milk with a culture.

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