Another Argument That Supermarkets Are Evil
The U.K. office of Friends of the Earth issued a press release stating ten reasons why they oppose supermarkets. Note that the U.K. "Safeway" referenced in the press release is NOT related to the U.S. Safeway.

1. Supermarkets don’t offer the best price to consumers.
2. Supermarkets favour imports over British produce.
3. Supermarkets’ bullying tactics can put small farmers out of business.
4. Supermarkets are squeezing prices to farmers.
5. Supermarkets are forcing small shops out of business.
6. Supermarkets do not support the local economy in the same way that local shops do.
7. When a large supermarket opens there is a net loss of jobs.
8. Supermarkets import food over huge distances, often by air, resulting in large emissions of carbon dioxide.
9. Supermarkets also transport food large distances around the UK due to their distribution system.
10. Supermarkets waste food by placing difficult conditions on farmers for cosmetic appearance.

Item 2 is especially interesting to consider. In essence, the argument is that free movement of goods around the world hurts the locals. (There is a parallel argument that free movement of goods hurts the third world producers also, since the buyers and their corrupt governments conspire to keep prices low.)

But, what of the alternative? What if the Wal-Marts, Krogers, and Circle Ks were to disappear, and only independent markets were to remain, supplied by local farmers? While arguments could be made about the direction in which prices would travel, there's no question that selection would decrease dramatically - there's no way that an independent store in Minnesota could buy pineapple from local suppliers. At the same time, third-world countries that are unhealthily dependent upon one cash crop would soon find that there wouldn't be any cash crops.