Photos: This Is What Grocery Shopping Looked Like in the ’70s
From curbside pickup lanes in the parking lot to “Scan and Go” sections at check out, today’s grocery stores look a whole lot different than grocery stores in the 1970s did. And don’t even get us started on the prices! These pictures capture what the errand looked like during the ’70s, leaving us to pine for the simpler times.
Dressed to the Nines
If you see me at the grocery store in sweats and Crocs with my hair in a messy bun, please don’t use this photo as the baseline to judge me. In the ’70s, grocery shopping was as much of an outing as anything, and it required getting put together, from curled hair and eyeshadow to a nice outfit and pair of heels to clack down the aisles.
Sorry, Is That Dollars or Cents?!
Five tangerines for 39 cents? Today’s Cuties better get it together! Take us back to cheap citrus.
So EVERY Lane Was Open?
Only in our wildest dreams. We rarely see more than four lanes open at a time when grocery shopping these days.
Social Hour in the Spice Aisle
Raise your hand if you dodge people you know at the grocery store because you’re not trying to get trapped in a conversation. In the 1970s, if Betty ran into Susan in the spice aisle, they would chum it up without a care in the world.
Price Transparency
Not only do grocery stores today not divulge their pricing structures to shoppers (how can a five-pound bag of potatoes cost $5 one week and be on sale for $1 the next?), but they aren’t the slightest bit interested in actually doling out good deals out of sheer kindness.
What’s a Cart That Full Like?
Today, an overflowing grocery cart would probably cost as much as a mortgage payment.
We’ll Trade You Receipts
Extreme couponers might not even see receipts this low nowadays.
The Nicest Looking Produce We’ve Ever Seen
Not a squishy tomato or shriveled-up bell pepper anywhere in sight. No browning grapes or bruised apples. Produce at the grocery store during the 1970s looks a lot better than it does these days.
Checkout Time
We can hear the sounds that giant cash register makes, and it’s oh-so-satisfying.
Enviable Trunk Space
Seriously, what’s with the lack of trunk space in cars anymore? Back in the 1970s, loading up after a grocery trip was undoubtedly easier.
Baby’s Day Out
Today, taking the baby to the grocery store is a dreaded task for many. This baby got a backseat ride through the aisles to hold hands with random folks passing by.
So CLEAN!
“Clean up on aisle 3” wasn’t ignored at the grocery store in the 1970s. This place is practically gleaming.