I think it's region dependent and how they travel. A store near me has "organic" ones that are huge and can be 1+ lbs and are very sweet, crisp, and juicy. Then I've seen big box stores selling them by the bag and they're hit or miss but sometimes terrible.

I don't think those factors are left to chance with an apple like Honeycrisp that had a 20-year rollout plan. (or whichever the new hotness is, Cosmic Crisp? I'm partial to Pink Lady.)

Rather, think about all the apples picked that don't meet grocery-store grading. One little bird peck and you're applesauce... ok maybe not exactly.

But the biggest (most vapid) apples go to the store aisle and the little ones (for whatever reason) go to Snack Bags. By the time you see 'em, apples have been graded and picked over to maximize sticker price.

Oddly, for a small grower, the fruits which don't make the cash-crop fresh-eatin' apple cut, might become higher-margin products like cider, jam, pie filling.

It's REALLY hard as an amateur to grow a grocery-store-perfect apple. (I made a lot of applesauce and canned pie filling.)