Photo out of the picture at Wegmans

ROCHESTER, N.Y. —After 24 years, Wegmans exited the photo-processing business as of Oct. 11, including all in-store photo departments and its central photo lab.

“With the increase in digital camera use, fewer people are utilizing our photo services,” the grocer stated. “We will be using our space and resources for other opportunities.”

Sales of digital cameras for the seven months through July were up 5 percent (excluding Wal-Mart), according to the Photo Marketing Association, citing NPD Group data. About half of the prints made from digital cameras are done through a retail setting, including ordering online and picking up at retail, according to PMA’s monthly consumer survey for the 12 months ended July—an increase from 48.2 percent in the comparable year-ago period.

According to the company, existing photo orders will be available for 30 days after Oct. 11 at the service desk of the store where the order was placed. By mid-November, however, those orders will be stored at a central location.