Why small grocery stores are (still) out of toilet paper

An excerpt from CNN Business:

Known in the industry as "power buyers," large retailers have had an advantage for years when buying goods because they order larger quantities than smaller wholesalers do, said Rudolf Leuschner, associate professor of supply chain management at Rutgers University, who studies the relationships between suppliers and buyers.

Also picked up by: WRCB

An excerpt from Penn Live:

Rudolf Leuschner, associate professor of supply chain management at Rutgers University, studies the relationships between suppliers and buyers, and explained that “large retailers have had an advantage for years when buying goods because they order larger quantities than smaller wholesalers do,” the report said.

“It makes intuitive sense: Large retailers’ scale and buying clout make them a top priority for manufacturers,” Leuschner told CNN, “and they often get promotions, special packaging or new products early,” adding that manufacturers have to “give them the best service, the best on everything because they mean more to you.”

Leuschner further compared it to “how airlines give perks to first-class fliers over customers sitting in coach.”