you know.... I wonder about that . . .
not too long back French bakers were very upset with the cheap machine produced baguettes - the mass produced low price threatened their business... because . . . yes, people are price sensitive.
that sort of thing happened in USA long long time ago - today there are very very few local bakeries - it's all mass produced in a cello wrap inside a LDPE bag . . . .
we have one, exactly one, European immigrant still doing a patisserie type business - no bread, just really good (and really expensive) pastries.
anytime I drive by I stop and buy - stuff I should not be eating . . but I want to support that business . . .
went to school in Germany in the mid-60's. went back, with family & dog, for a multi-year 'foreign assignment' in the 80's.
the changes from butcher-baker-candlestick maker 'small shop' to chain "everything" set one abashed.
visiting friends/etc 90's-2000's weekends (during business trips....) shopping was still 4-5-6+ shops on 'long Saturdays' - really, it was one shop for "toast bread" and a different shop for Broetchen, and . . .
and it only got worse up thru the 2020's . . .
hardly any small artisan shops/products remained - those that remained shifted from 'own products' to vacuum sealed sold in plastic 'massed produced' offerings.
we've lost a lot - but "progress" just does not give a hoot . . .
