OPINION: The American grocery store is now a cultural charade. And that's bad for everyone, writes author Benjamin Lorr

To ensure delivery to your inbox add email@mail.nbcnews.com to your contacts | View in browser Add NBC News to your contacts Unsubscribe from this email

Jan 30, 2021 OPINION: The American grocery store is now a cultural charade. And that's bad for everyone, writes author Benjamin Lorr Instead of relying on a circus-like thrill of size and abundance, the grocery store of today competes by offering us cultural meaning, writes Benjamin Lorr, author of "The Secret Life of Groceries," in NBC News THINK. But if all that talk about identity and values sounds a bit hollow — retail as expression of the self, retail as therapy, in the most literal sense — that's because it is, writes Lorr. Behind the scenes, the pressure to serve consumers fuels abusive labor practices and bad incentive structures. For more social commentary, sign up for the weekly THINK newsletter. Read More Get the NBC News Mobile App Follow NBC News Check out all of NBCNEWS Newsletters here. Update Preferences | Unsubscribe | Contact | Privacy Update Preferences Unsubscribe Contact Privacy