Earlier quoted context omitted.
I used to like red delicious as a kid and my perception is that they got worse over time. I still like the other apples I ate as a kid. So I don’t know if this is all in my mind or not.
You're probably right, not sure how old you are but growers kept selectively breeding solely for appearance up to (I think) the 2010s.
Once you've bought grocery in a store, you're not going to return it if it's so-so but not outright dangerously rotten. And your choice of large stores nearby is limited, so you're not going to stop going to that store.