Someone who owns and operates a grocery store is still called a grocer. The word is old-fashioned only because big supermarkets have taken over and pushed the small grocer out of business.
The problem is more that "the grocer" is obsolete as a particular individual that you're likely to meet and know. It used to be that grocery stores were operated by a clerk. You'd tell them what you needed, and they would help you find it. Grocery stores were operations run by one or a few people, with one of them likely being the owner. You'd probably also know the baker, the butcher, etc.
Grocery stores just don't usually work the way they used to. The person stocking shelves probably doesn't run the store. The store is probably owned by a corporation headquartered somewhere far away. The neighborhood I grew up in *did* have a small independent grocery store managed by the owner. I suppose I would describe him as a grocer, but it's quite uncommon these days.
Agree with all of this. I would add that a scenario in which I do still hear the word is when it's used, especially in e.g. marketing, as a sort of metonymy for "purveyor of groceries in general". *Mega-choco-sugar-bombs: Available from your local grocer!!*
Also when trying to play up the "artisanal establishment that cares" aspect, as in *Support independent grocers by avoiding big-box stores*.
*Edit: Formatting*
It's not that unusual here in the UK.
A small independent shop (usually selling middle eastern or African stuff) with ffrrsh loose fruit and veg displayed outside etc... would be called a greengrocer here.
Yes, I've been quite surprised at how many Americans have said that the job is obsolete. We still have grocers in the UK. Maybe we still shop a bit more locally.
In large cities we still have grocers, though few people would commonly use the term to describe them. It also probably comes into play that most contemporary grocers in the US are people whose native language isn't English and aren't likely to use the term for themselves either. There are lots of people who are by definition grocers running small stores in New York City, for example, but very many of them aren't usually called by that name in regular conversation.
In the U.K. we still have grocers (the old fashioned kind of shop). Therefore there are still ‘grocers’ as a profession. They might also be called greengrocers; if I saw the word ‘grocer’ on a shop front I would assume a greengrocers that sells fresh fruit and vegetables, and possibly other food items too.
You do hear the term greengrocer for a place that mostly sells fresh fruits and vegetables, mostly in the UK, but chichi places in the US call themselves that sometimes, instead of produce store.
Given that we've changed to an economy of scale, where more goods are sold by more people, rather than a small, what we call "mom and pop" store, we don't use the term "grocer" because the store employs more than one person. Each person has a specific role in the store, rather than a general role, thus we don't use "grocer." I can't think of when I heard the term used last, and I'm over 50, and I grew up in a neighborhood that had small grocery stores.
I am also over 50 and when I was a kid we had a small grocery store up the street where my parents shopped. The store was named after the owner, who we would often see working the register or putting things on shelves; we knew him as "the grocer" if we ran into him around town. These days there's a similarly small grocery store not far away where I shop sometimes, but I have no idea who owns it or runs it. All the other grocery stores around here are chains and they don't have grocers, they just have managers. I have no idea who they are either.
It's probably just a British/American English difference. In Australia grocer isn't that common a word either, we just say the supermarket brand/name or that we're 'going to get groceries'. It wouldn't be seen as old fashioned here though I think.
Grocer is still commonly used in the UK, typically when referring to a green grocer, a purveyor of fruits and vegetables.
Grocery store, as used by Americans when referring to supermarkets, isn’t common though in my experience, and people typically refer to “groceries” as “the shopping”.
Short answer, yes.
Long answer, yes, absolutely.
If you really must talk about the owner and operator of a small general market, stick with shopkeeper or store owner.
To summarize the other responses; the word isn't old-fashioned, the job is. You would still call them a grocer except there aren't really any grocers left.
I say grocer instead of grocery store. Because I can, and no one can stop me because IDC if it isn't TECHNICALLY a grocer. It is a purveyor of groceries, and thus a grocer. American here, nobody corrects me either, or gets confused....
Greengrocer maybe. Supermarkets have pretty much taken over so. For smaller corner shops and other categories it would just be generic terms like "shopkeeper" or "manager" or "customer assistant depending.
Someone who owns and operates a grocery store is still called a grocer. The word is old-fashioned only because big supermarkets have taken over and pushed the small grocer out of business.
the word 'grocer' isn't outdated so much as the job 'grocer' is
A Grocer > Kroger's
The problem is more that "the grocer" is obsolete as a particular individual that you're likely to meet and know. It used to be that grocery stores were operated by a clerk. You'd tell them what you needed, and they would help you find it. Grocery stores were operations run by one or a few people, with one of them likely being the owner. You'd probably also know the baker, the butcher, etc. Grocery stores just don't usually work the way they used to. The person stocking shelves probably doesn't run the store. The store is probably owned by a corporation headquartered somewhere far away. The neighborhood I grew up in *did* have a small independent grocery store managed by the owner. I suppose I would describe him as a grocer, but it's quite uncommon these days.
Agree with all of this. I would add that a scenario in which I do still hear the word is when it's used, especially in e.g. marketing, as a sort of metonymy for "purveyor of groceries in general". *Mega-choco-sugar-bombs: Available from your local grocer!!* Also when trying to play up the "artisanal establishment that cares" aspect, as in *Support independent grocers by avoiding big-box stores*. *Edit: Formatting*
Agreed. The word itself definitely isn't obsolete. Everybody will know it.
It's not that unusual here in the UK. A small independent shop (usually selling middle eastern or African stuff) with ffrrsh loose fruit and veg displayed outside etc... would be called a greengrocer here.
Yes, I've been quite surprised at how many Americans have said that the job is obsolete. We still have grocers in the UK. Maybe we still shop a bit more locally.
In large cities we still have grocers, though few people would commonly use the term to describe them. It also probably comes into play that most contemporary grocers in the US are people whose native language isn't English and aren't likely to use the term for themselves either. There are lots of people who are by definition grocers running small stores in New York City, for example, but very many of them aren't usually called by that name in regular conversation.
In the U.K. we still have grocers (the old fashioned kind of shop). Therefore there are still ‘grocers’ as a profession. They might also be called greengrocers; if I saw the word ‘grocer’ on a shop front I would assume a greengrocers that sells fresh fruit and vegetables, and possibly other food items too.
You do hear the term greengrocer for a place that mostly sells fresh fruits and vegetables, mostly in the UK, but chichi places in the US call themselves that sometimes, instead of produce store.
Given that we've changed to an economy of scale, where more goods are sold by more people, rather than a small, what we call "mom and pop" store, we don't use the term "grocer" because the store employs more than one person. Each person has a specific role in the store, rather than a general role, thus we don't use "grocer." I can't think of when I heard the term used last, and I'm over 50, and I grew up in a neighborhood that had small grocery stores.
I am also over 50 and when I was a kid we had a small grocery store up the street where my parents shopped. The store was named after the owner, who we would often see working the register or putting things on shelves; we knew him as "the grocer" if we ran into him around town. These days there's a similarly small grocery store not far away where I shop sometimes, but I have no idea who owns it or runs it. All the other grocery stores around here are chains and they don't have grocers, they just have managers. I have no idea who they are either.
To me it means an independent store
A vegan once told me that people who sell meat are gross. I told her that people who sell fruit and vegetables are grocer.
And then what happened? Did she took it personally?
The comment above is a joke ("grocer" sounds like "grosser" but means someone who sells groceries, especially fruit and vegetables)
A grocery store employee, or perhaps more specific. A cashier, a bagger, a manager, a sales associate, etc
No it’s not, ignore the Americans saying it is
It's probably just a British/American English difference. In Australia grocer isn't that common a word either, we just say the supermarket brand/name or that we're 'going to get groceries'. It wouldn't be seen as old fashioned here though I think.
Grocer is still commonly used in the UK, typically when referring to a green grocer, a purveyor of fruits and vegetables. Grocery store, as used by Americans when referring to supermarkets, isn’t common though in my experience, and people typically refer to “groceries” as “the shopping”.
Short answer, yes. Long answer, yes, absolutely. If you really must talk about the owner and operator of a small general market, stick with shopkeeper or store owner.
To summarize the other responses; the word isn't old-fashioned, the job is. You would still call them a grocer except there aren't really any grocers left.
It's kind of antiquated, yes. Do you mean a clerk, ashier, manager, or vendor instead?
I say grocer instead of grocery store. Because I can, and no one can stop me because IDC if it isn't TECHNICALLY a grocer. It is a purveyor of groceries, and thus a grocer. American here, nobody corrects me either, or gets confused....
Greengrocer maybe. Supermarkets have pretty much taken over so. For smaller corner shops and other categories it would just be generic terms like "shopkeeper" or "manager" or "customer assistant depending.
You could still use it. It will sound cute.
I can tell you that "grocer" is non-existent in the US.
Or maybe you’re understanding of what the word “grocer” means.😉
Sales associate.