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I pay attention to grocery stores differently than I used to. Years ago, I looked at the shelves mainly to see whether the thing I wanted was in stock. Now I also notice what is missing. One empty spot means very little on its own. A truck may be late, a store may have underestimated demand, or somebody may have bought the last three cases that morning. What gets my attention is a pattern. The same shelf stays thin across several visits. One brand disappears entirely. The cheaper option vanishes first. The store starts filling the gap with unrelated products.…