As a Grocery Manager that works at an Albertsons market , i beg to differ. The dollars you spend are used to pay local peoples salaries and will eventually be reinvested into the community that the store is located in by the employees that need car parts , clothing , housing or even backpacking equipment. Also , whenever possible , Albertsons buys from locally owned companies , including produce and seafood . I recently went to a local 4-H auction and bought/donated a whole cow to a family in need in a rural area...how many local markets can say they donate 5 million dollars per division / year locally to charity through food programs and special events as well as just plain gifts ? I say that if you really want to help people in your area , shop where your neighbors work...be it Albertsons or Wal-Mart ( that hurt but i said it ! ) , or at a local market if that is all that is available in your town. Your neighbors will thank you for it when they keep recieving their paychecks !