Typical Supermarket Merchandise

Larger supermarkets in North America and Western Europe typically sell a great number of items among many brands, sizes and varieties, including:

* Alcoholic beverages (as state/provincial and/or local laws allow)
* Baby foods and baby-care products such as disposable diapers
* Breads and bakery products (many stores may have a bakery on site that offers specialty and dessert items)
* Books, newspapers, and magazines, including supermarket tabloids
* Bulk dried foods such as legumes, flour, rice, etc. (typically available for self-service)
* Canned goods and dried cereals
* Car-care products (motor oil, cleaners, waxes)
* CDs, DVDs, and videos (including video rentals)
* Tea and Coffee (some stores may have a commercial-style grinder, typically available for self-service, and/or a staffed coffee bar that prepares ready-to-drink coffee and tea beverages)
* Clothing and footwear (typically a general, limited assortment)
* Confections and candies
* Cosmetics
* Dairy products and eggs
* Delicatessen foods (ready-to-eat)
* Diet foods
* Electrical products such as light bulbs, extension cords, etc.
* Feminine hygiene products
* Financial services and products such as mortgages, credit cards, savings accounts, wire transfers, etc. (typically offered in-store by a partnering bank or other financial institution)
* Flowers
* Frozen foods and crushed ice
* Fresh produce, fruits and vegetables
* Greeting cards
* Housecleaning products
* Housewares, crockery and cooking utensils, etc. (typically limited)
* Laundry products such as detergents, fabric softeners, etc.
* Lottery tickets (where operational and legal)
* Luggage items (typically limited)
* Meats, fish and seafoods (some stores may offer live fish and seafood items from aquarium tanks)
* Medicines and first aid items (primarily over-the-counter drugs, although many supermarkets also have an on-site pharmacy)
* Nonalcoholic beverages such as soft drinks, juices, bottled water, etc. (some stores may have a juice bar that prepares ready-to-drink freshly squeezed juices, smoothies, etc.)
* Personal hygiene and grooming products
* Pet foods and products
* Seasonal items and decorations
* Snack foods
* Toys and novelties

In some countries, the range of supermarket merchandise is more strictly focused on food products, although the range of goods for sale is expanding in many locations as typical store sizes continue to increase globally.

Most supermarkets are similar in design and layout due to trends in marketing. Fresh produce tends to be located near the entrance of the store. Milk, bread, and other essential staple items are usually situated toward the rear of the store and in other out-of-the-way places, purposely done to maximize the customer's time spent in the store, strolling past other items and capitalizing on impulse buying. The front of the store, or "front end'" is the area where point of sale machines or cash registers are usually located. Many retailers also have implemented self-checkout devices in an attempt to reduce labor costs.