BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Wal-Mart Stores here told SN Friday the small-format Marketside stores it plans to unveil this fall in the Phoenix area are part of "a small-scale pilot, and we have no plans [for the format] beyond a handful of stores." The comment, from a Wal-Mart spokesman, came in response to a report published in the Financial Times of London that quoted the Marketside website as saying the company expected to start with 10 stores and evolve to between 1,000 and 1,500 locations with more than $10 billion in annual sales. After a reporter asked Wal-Mart about the on-line statements, those statements were removed from the website, according to the Financial Times. Wal-Mart has described Marketside — a store of 15,000-20,000 square feet — as "a small community grocery store " that will offer "a wide selection of complete meal solutions, fresh ingredients and everyday favorites."

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