12 Things Every Grocery Store Sold in the 1960s That Are Gone Today

Shopping for food in the 1960s was a tactile and very manual experience defined by the weight of glass and the smell of fresh paper. Grocery stores operated as the central hub for the neighborhood and provided a range of products that have since been replaced by plastic alternatives and automated systems. Before the arrival of the modern supermarket chain the local market relied on a collection of hardware-dependent solutions for everything from preserving the harvest to managing the family’s social habits. As global supply chains and safety regulations evolved many of these common staples began to vanish from the shelves. These 12 examples offer a look at the material history of the 1960s shopping trip. It was a time of heavy metal and very specific domestic needs.

1. Glass Soda Bottles With Deposits

Every store featured long rows of heavy glass bottles that were returned to the clerk for a small cash refund. Families carried wooden crates of empty containers back to the market to receive a few cents for each bottle. This manual recycling system was a standard part of the weekly errands and taught children the value of glass. The bottles were designed to be washed and refilled dozens of times by local bottling plants. It was a rugged and very sustainable part of the 1960s retail economy.

2. S&H Green Stamps

At the checkout counter, the clerk would dispense a strip of small perforated stamps based on the total cost of the groceries. Shoppers took these home to paste into paper booklets that were eventually exchanged for household appliances or toys. Families spent hours sitting at the kitchen table, moistening the glue and organizing the books for a future reward. This was a popular and very manual loyalty program that turned every shopping trip into a long-term goal. It was a tactile and very rewarding part of the 1960s shopping experience.

3. Individual Flash Bulbs

Near the film and camera section sat cardboard packs of tiny glass bulbs with magnesium filaments inside. These were used once to provide a burst of light for a photo, then discarded as a scorched piece of waste. The smell of the hot glass and the sight of the spent bulbs were standard parts of every family gathering. It was a high-energy, very hardware-dependent way to manage indoor lighting for the decade. Stores sold these bulbs by the dozen to ensure no one missed a shot during the holidays.

4. Mercurochrome In Glass Bottles

The pharmacy aisle always held a small glass bottle with a dropper filled with a bright red antiseptic liquid. Mothers used this to treat every skinned knee and minor cut, which left a persistent orange stain on the skin for days. Families did not know the solution contained mercury and used it without hesitation as a trusted first-aid staple. It was a standard and very recognizable sight in the medicine cabinet of every 1960s home. The red mark on a child’s leg was the official badge of a busy afternoon of play.

5. Bulk Lard in Tins

To meet the household’s heavy baking needs, stores sold large metal tins filled with rendered animal fat. This was a primary ingredient for pie crusts and fried chicken before the widespread use of vegetable oils and shortening. The tins were rugged and featured a tight-fitting lid to keep the product fresh in the pantry for months. Once empty, the containers were often cleaned and reused to store flour or sugar in the kitchen. It was a traditional and very manual part of the 1960s cooking routine.

6. Tobacco Vending Machines

In the grocery store’s front lobby sat a large mechanical machine with a row of pull-knobs and a glass display of cigarette brands. Adults used a few silver coins to purchase a pack as they approached the checkout line. The sound of the heavy mechanism and the thud of the pack falling into the tray were standard noises of the public square. There were no digital screens or age-verification sensors on these rugged pieces of hardware. They were ubiquitous and highly visible parts of the social landscape.

7. Powdered Milk in Large Boxes

Because fresh dairy was often delivered or required frequent trips to the dairy, the pantry was stocked with massive boxes of milk powder. Families stirred the white crystals into pitchers of water to ensure a constant supply for cooking or cereal. The box featured simple graphics and often included a free plastic scoop inside the gritty powder. It was a rugged and very shelf-stable source of nutrition that required no refrigeration until it was mixed. The scent of the dry powder was a familiar part of the 1960s kitchen atmosphere.

8. Canned Whole Chickens

On the shelf near the canned meats sat a large and very heavy tin containing an entire chicken suspended in a thick jelly. This was marketed as a modern and very convenient solution for a quick Sunday dinner or a special family meal. The sight of the bird sliding out of the can was a standard part of the preparation process for a busy household. It was a rugged and very permanent way to store poultry without the need for a large freezer. The tin was a staple of the emergency pantry during the decade.

9. Blue-Tinted Flashcubes

Similar to individual bulbs, these four-sided cubes were sold for use with the new portable cameras of the late 1960s. Each side of the cube contained a single flash that would rotate automatically as the film was advanced. The blue tint helped balance the light for color film and left a distinct burnt smell in the room after use. Shoppers bought these in multi-packs to prepare for weddings and birthday parties. It was a high-tech and very hardware-dependent accessory for the amateur photographer.

10. Metal Lunchboxes with Thermoses

The housewares section featured sturdy steel boxes with colorful illustrations of Saturday morning cartoons. Every box included a matching glass-lined thermos designed to keep milk cold or soup hot until the afternoon break. These items were built to survive the rugged environment of the school bus and the playground for several years. The sound of the metal latch snapping shut was a familiar noise in every kitchen as the day began. They were a proud and very visible symbol of a child’s personal interests.

11. Liquid Laundry Bluing

In a small glass bottle near the detergents sat a concentrated blue liquid used to keep white clothes from turning yellow. Mothers added a few drops to the rinse cycle of the washing machine to maintain the brightness of the family’s shirts and linens. This was a traditional and very manual way to manage the appearance of the laundry before the arrival of modern chemical brighteners. It required careful measurement to avoid staining the fabric a permanent shade of blue. The bottle was a familiar and very stationary part of the 1960s laundry room.

12. Carbon Paper for Personal Use

Near the school supplies sat packs of thin black paper used to make instant copies of letters and tax forms. By placing the carbon sheet between two pieces of paper, the pressure of a pen would transfer the ink to the bottom page. This was a messy and very manual process that required a steady hand to avoid smudges and errors. Families relied on this for keeping records of their correspondence with businesses or the government. The ease of digital copying has made this ink-heavy paper a forgotten part of the household office.

• Tags:
• Sixties Retail
• vintage grocery
• Social History
• consumer goods
• Nostalgic Memories