Massive growth and expansion of supermarket chains makes it impossible for small business to withstand competition. It is believed by some that the closure of local stores will engender the disappearance of local communities. I totally agree with the statement because some individuals rely on the availability of such stores. On the other hand, the prices that often dictate consumer’s choice are generally lower in supermarkets.
Local communities may dissappear if they cannot find something their life depends on in a supermarket. For instance, suppose there used to be a niched fishing store in a small settlement. Then it was taken over by a chain known globally, and although now people get to enjoy greater value for money, the chain may not have accounted for a specialized type of fishing rods that were vitally important for people of the settlement. Since there are no more rods that people need, they have no choice but to relocate, thereby initiating the death of their community, ultimately leading to a complete abandonment of the settlement by its residents.
There is no doubt that, in general, bigger stores offer lower prices. Even though people wouldn’t be against paying less and expecting more, there is a threat to cultural identity of small communities. For example, local stores are an important part of the culture of a village because everyone knows everyone and the enterprises have been there for generations. Over the course of years, there stores were integrated into the culture of the village. The life of people, therefore, undergoes drastic changes as a global supermarket chain starts buying out local business one by one. In this scenario, the death of communities is figurative, their prior way of life and habits inevitably transitioning into that of a city.
To conclude, I contend that the emergence of supermarkets indeed destroys local business and that communities share the same fate. Though the abundance of supermarkets enables individuals to spend less, they would rather CEOs of supermarkets did not take over the shops that personally matter to them. Otherwise, the whole world will become homogenous as a result of globalization, and there will be no unique communities left.