When it comes to choosing a grocery store, shoppers are picky.
"I expect the produce to not be bruised and to not be old," said customer Melinda as she walked the aisles of her local Sprouts store.
Another customer, Brooke Gonzales, says she wants good prices and plenty of room to get around.
"Some stores you can't even get down the aisles," Gonzales said.
Consumer Reports surveyed 27,208 people for its annual supermarket buying guide.
East Coast chain store Wegmans topped the list, followed by Trader Joe's, Publix and Costco. Also on the list was Sprouts Farmers Market, a store chain that has its roots in San Diego.
"Sprouts has been local in San Diego since the 1940s with the Boney family," said Sprouts regional director Dennis Clyde.
Local
He said the chain store with 150 markets in the Western States specializes in offering fresh produce and more than 100 items sold in bulk.
Buying food from nuts to granola in bulk is a big incentive for Melinda.
"I can get the right sizes of the items I want, I have less waste," she said.
Walmart Supercenter was at the bottom of the Consumer Reports survey. While it did well in pricing, it earned low scores in open checkouts, out-of-stock regular items and confusing store layout.
