Who says food retailers can't compete? In bar soaps, a New York-area ShopRite store underpriced local drug and mass competitors two out of three times on the top-selling brands. A $1.55 billion category nationally through food, drug and mass, cleansing bars account for $80.7 million in sales in area food stores. New Yorkers are decidedly cool on Procter & Gamble's Ivory, the nation's No. 2. But they love Lever's Dove, buying more of it than consumers elsewhere. Steady in fourth place, both nationally with 8.2% of sales and in New York with 7.3%, is Lever 2000.
