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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                   FORM 11-K

                                  ANNUAL REPORT

                        Pursuant to Section 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                      For the Year Ended December 31, 2001

                   (A) Full title of the plan and the address
                     of the plan, if different from that of
                             the issuer named below:

                            The Penn Traffic Company
                              401 (k) Savings Plan

                    (B) Name of issuer of the securities held
                     pursuant to the plan and the address of
                        its principal executive office:

                            The Penn Traffic Company
                            1200 State Fair Boulevard
                               Syracuse; NY 13209



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THE PENN TRAFFIC COMPANY
401(k) SAVINGS PLAN

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

DECEMBER 31, 2001 AND 2000


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                             THE PENN TRAFFIC COMPANY
                               401(k) SAVINGS PLAN

                   INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SCHEDULES






                                                                            Page
                                                                            ----

Report of Independent Accountants ..........................................  1

Financial Statements:

  Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits,
    December 31, 2001 and 2000 .............................................  2

  Statements of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits,
    Years Ended December 31, 2001 and 2004 .................................  3

  Notes to Financial Statements ............................................4-7

Supplemental Schedule:

  Schedule I - Schedule of Assets Held for Investment Purposes at
                 December 31, 2001 (Schedule H, Part IV, Item (i))..........  8

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                        REPORT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS





To the Participants and Administrator
of The Penn Traffic Company
401(k) Savings Plan


In our opinion, the accompanying statements of net assets available for
benefits and the related statements of changes in net assets available for
benefits present fairly, in all material respects, the net assets available
for benefits of The Penn Traffic Company 401(k) Savings Plan (the "Plan") at
December 31, 2001 and 2000, and the changes in net assets available for
benefits for the years then ended in conformity with accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States of America. These financial
statements are the responsibility of the Plan's management; our
responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based
on our audits. We conducted our audits of these statements in accordance with
auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America, which
require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance
about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An
audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts
and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting
principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating
the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits
provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Our audits were performed for the purpose of forming an opinion on the basic
financial statements taken as a whole. The supplemental schedule of Assets
Held for Investment Purposes at December 31, 2001 is presented for purposes
of additional analysis and is not a required part of the basic financial
statements but is supplementary information required by the Department of
Labor's Rules and Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure under the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. This supplemental schedule is the
responsibility of the Plan's management. The supplemental schedule has been
subjected to the auditing procedures applied in the audit of the basic
financial statements and, in our opinion, is fairly stated in all material
respects in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole.

May 31, 2002




                                       1
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THE PENN TRAFFIC COMPANY
401(k) SAVINGS PLAN

STATEMENTS OF NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS
DECEMBER 31, 2001 AND 2000
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------




<Table>
<Caption>

                                                       2001           2000
                                                       ----           ----
                                                           
Assets
  Investments, at fair value:
    Cash and cash equivalents                      $     76,016  $
    Fixed income funds                               33,302,955    29,090,849
    Equity funds                                     67,142,533    75,673,882
    Balanced funds                                   13,179,024    11,659,244
    Penn Traffic common stock                             5,909         6,841
    Participant loans                                 5,228,249     5,291,598
                                                   ------------  ------------

      Total investments                             118,934,686   121,722,414
                                                   ------------  ------------

Receivables:
  Employee contributions                                236,667       379,047
  Employer contributions                                 28,886        56,084
                                                   ------------  ------------

    Total receivables                                   265,553       435,131
                                                   ------------  ------------

    NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS              $119,200,239  $122,157,545
                                                   ============  ============
</Table>











   The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.


                                        2
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THE PENN TRAFFIC COMPANY
401(k) SAVINGS PLAN

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2001 AND 2000
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<Table>
<Caption>

                                                             2001        2000
                                                                 
Additions to net assets:
  Investment income:
    Interest and dividends                               $ 2,864,859   $ 7,095,480
    Realized (loss) gain on investments                   (2,058,626)        1,128
    Net depreciation its fair value of investments        (9,106,843)   (4,602,713)
    Interest on loans to participants                        467,729       209,366
                                                         -----------   -----------

      Total investment income                             (7,832,881)    2,703,261

    Participant contributions                             11,982,304    11,221,576
    Employer contributions                                 1,167,288     1,223,264
                                                         -----------   -----------

      Total additions                                      5,316,711    15,148,101
                                                         -----------   -----------

  Deductions from net assets:
    Payments to participants                              (8,003,771)   (8,986,293)
    Payment of individual insurance contract premiums        (36,230)      (22,362)
    Administrative expenses                                 (234,016)     (241,149)
                                                         -----------   -----------

      Total deductions                                    (8,274,017)   (9,249,804)
                                                         -----------   -----------
  (Decrease) increase in net assets                       (2,957,306)    5,898,297

  Net assets available for plan benefits:
    Beginning of year                                    122,157,545   116,259,248
                                                        ------------  ------------
      End of Year                                       $119,200,239  $122,157,545
                                                        ============  ============
</Table>



    The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.


                                       3
<Page>


THE PENN TRAFFIC COMPANY
401(k) SAVINGS PLAN

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2001 AND 2000
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.       DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAN

         The following brief description of The Penn Traffic Company 401(k)
         Savings Plan (the "Plan) sponsored by The Penn Traffic Company (the
         "Company") is provided for general information purposes only.
         Participants should refer to the Plan agreement, as amended, for a more
         complete description of the Plan's provisions.

         GENERAL

         The Plan is a defined contribution plan established by the Company
         on May 29, 1987. The Plan is designed to provide benefits to all
         Company employees who have attained age twenty-one and have
         completed at least six months of service. As part of the Plan, the
         Company entered into a trust agreement with Fidelity Investments
         Institutional Operations Company, Inc., trustee and recordkeeper,
         pursuant to the terms of the agreement between the Penn Traffic
         Company 401(k) Savings Plan and Fidelity Management Trust Company.

         CONTRIBUTIONS

         Through automatic payroll deduction, employees in the Plan
         ("participants") may contribute from 1% to 15% of eligible pay on a
         pre-tax basis, up to the annual IRS dollar limit as specified in
         writing and may change such election at any time. The Company makes
         matching contributions to each non-union participant account equal
         to 5O% of the first 3% of the participant's contribution.
         Participant's are 100% vested in both the Company's matching
         contributions and their contributions to the Plan.

         INVESTMENTS

         Participants have several options to which they can direct their
         contributions.

         THE PENN TRAFFIC COMMON STOCK FUND - The fund consists of common stock
         of The Penn Traffic Company, the plan sponsor.

         MORELY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT FUND - The fund invests in investment
         contracts offered by major insurance companies and other approved
         financial institutions and in certain types of fixed income
         securities. A small portion of the fund is invested in a money
         market fund to provide daily liquidity.

         FIDELITY FUND - The fund invests primarily in common stocks. The fund
         potentially invests a portion of its assets in bonds, including lower
         quality debt series. Invests in domestic and foreign issuers.

         FIDELITY PURITAN FUND - The fund invests approximately 60% of assets
         in stocks and other equity securities and the remainder in bonds and
         other debt securities, including lower quality debt securities.

         FIDELITY GROWTH COMPANY FUND - This fund normally invests in common
         stocks. The fund invests in companies that it believes have above
         average growth potential.

         FIDELITY DIVERSIFIED INTERNATIONAL FUND - The fund normally invests
         at least 65% of total assets in foreign securities, primarily in
         common stock.


                                        4



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THE PENN TRAFFIC COMPANY
401(k) SAVINGS PLAN

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2001 AND 2000
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.       DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAN (CONTINUED)


         INVESTMENTS (CONTINUED)

         FIDELITY MID-CAP STOCK FUND - The fund normally invests at least 65%
         of total assets in common stocks of companies with medium market
         capitalizations.

         FIDELITY FREEDOM FUNDS - These five funds are asset allocation
         mutual funds that invest in a combination of Fidelity equity, fixed
         income, and money market funds.

         SPARTAN U.S. EQUITY INDEX FUND - This fund normally invests at
         least 80% of assets in common stocks included in the S&P 500, which
         basically represents the performance of common stocks publicly
         traded in the United States.

         A life insurance plan which allows employees to elect to purchase
         life insurance for themselves and their spouses and children is
         effective for only those employees electing such insurance before
         January 1, 1989 (see Note 3).

         PARTICIPANT LOANS

         Participants may, upon application to the plan administrator, obtain
         loans of not less than $1,000 but not more than the lesser of
         $50,000 or 50% of the participant's individual investment account
         balance. The period of repayment may not exceed 30 years for home
         loans or 5 years for all other loans.

         VESTING

         Participants are immediately vested in their contributions to the
         Plan as well as any Company matching contributions.

         BENEFIT PAYMENTS

         Each participant is entitled to a benefit equal to 100% of the
         participant's vested accrued benefit as of the valuation date upon
         normal retirement or termination of employment from the Company. In
         the event of the participant's death, benefits are distributed to a
         designated beneficiary. Distributions of the Penn Traffic Company
         common stock are made in either whole shares of the Company's common
         stock or in cash as specified by the participant. A participant
         attaining the age of 59 1/2 has the right to withdraw all or a
         portion of their Plan assets. Benefits are recorded when paid.

         INVESTMENT INCOME

         Net investment fund income is allocated daily to each participant's
         investment account in the ratio of their individual investment account
         to the investment fund in total.

         RECLASSIFICATIONS

         Certain amounts from 2000 have been reclassified for comparative
         purposes.



                                        5

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THE PENN TRAFFIC COMPANY
401(k) SAVINGS PLAN

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2001 AND 2000
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2.       SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

         BASIS OF ACCOUNTING

         The financial statements of the Plan arc prepared on the accrual basis
         of accounting.

         VALUATION OF INVESTMENTS

         Interest and dividend income are recognized as earned and expenses are
         recognized when the related obligation is incurred. Unrealized
         appreciation or depreciation, and realized gains and losses, for the
         year are reflected in the statement of changes in net assets available
         for benefits.

         USE OF ESTIMATES

         The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting
         principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires
         management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported
         amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets
         and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the
         reported amounts revenues and expenses during the reporting period.
         Actual results could differ from those estimates.

         RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES

         The Plan provides for various investment options in any combination of
         funds. Investment securities are exposed to various risks, such as
         interest rate, market and credit. Due to the level of risk associated
         with certain investment securities and the level of uncertainty related
         to changes in the value of investment securities, it is at least
         reasonably possible that changes in risks in the near term would
         materially affect participants' account balances and the amounts
         reported in the statement of net assets available for benefits and the
         statement of changes in net assets available for benefits.

         ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS

         Expenses incurred by the Trustee in connection with investment
         transactions and payments to participants are paid by the Plan.
         Professional and administrative fees and other expenses of the Plan
         are also paid by the Plan. Personnel and facilities of the Company
         are used by the Plan for its accounting and other activities at no
         charge to the Plan.

3. INSURANCE PLAN

         Participants of the Plan are permitted to have a portion of their
         contributions directed towards the purchase of individual life
         insurance contracts for themselves, their spouse and their children,
         for those employees electing this option before January 1, 1989. As
         a result of these elections, the Plan disburses funds periodically
         to the First Colony Life Insurance Company for the payment of life
         insurance premiums. These insurance contracts are allocated on an
         individual participant basis and, as such, are excluded from Plan
         assets. For the years ended December 31, 2001 and 2000, Plan assets
         included $36,230 and $22,362, respectively, of funds to be directed
         toward the purchase of individual life insurance contracts.

                                              6


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THE PENN TRAFFIC COMPANY
401(k) SAVINGS PLAN

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2001 AND 2000
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4.       INVESTMENTS

         investments which exceed 5% of the Plan's net assets at
         December 31, 2001 include:

                                                                 FAIR
                                                                 VALUE
                                                                 -----

         Fidelity Mid Cap Stock Fund                         $ 42,434,845
         Fidelity Fixed Income Fund                            33,302,955
         Fidelity Puritan Fund                                 10,590,657
         Fidelity Fund                                         20,763,199

5.       INCOME TAX STATUS

         The Internal Revenue Service determined and informed the Company by a
         letter dated August 14, 1995 that the Plan and related trust meet the
         requirements of Sections 401(a) and 401(k) of the Internal Revenue
         Code ("IRC") and that the Plan is exempt from taxation under Section
         501(a) of the IRC. The Plan has been amended subsequent to the receipt
         of the latest determination letter, however, the Plan's administrator
         believes that the Plan is designed and currently being operated in
         compliance with the applicable requirements of the IRC.

         Under present federal income tax laws, a participant will not be
         subject to federal income taxes on the contributions by the participant
         or on interest or profits on the sale of securities held by the Plan
         until the participant's assets are distributed.

6.       PLAN TERMINATION

         Although it has not expressed any intent to do so, the Company
         expressly reserves the right to terminate the Plan. In the event of
         termination, participants will become 100% vested in their accounts and
         all Plan objectives will be satisfied. All unallocated assets.
         will then be allocated to the accrued benefits of the participants'
         accounts at the date of termination in accordance with the terms of
         the Plan and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
         (ERISA).


7.       TRANSACTIONS WITH PARTIES-IN-INTEREST

         As of December 31, 2001 and 2000, the Plan held the following:

                                    December 31, 2001       December 31, 2000
                                    -----------------       -----------------
                                     Number    Market        Number    Market
                                    of Shares   Value       of Shares   Value
                                    ---------   -----       ---------   -----

          Company common stock        1,115    $ 5,909        1,403    $ 6,841


                                             7


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THE PENN TRAFFIC COMPANY                                             SCHEDULE I
401(k) SAVINGS PLAN

SCHEDULE OF ASSETS HELD FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSES AT DECEMBER 31, 2001
(SCHEDULE H, PART IV, ITEM (i))
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------





                                                 (c) Description of investment
                                                    including maturity date,
        (b) Identity of issue, borrower,           rate of interest. collateral                          (e) Current
(a)         lessor, or similar party                  par or maturity value               (d) Cost           value
- --       ------------------------------          -------------------------------         ---------        ------------
                                                                                             

*        Fidelity Investments Institutional
          Operations Company, Inc.                Fidelity Fixed Income Fund                  **          $ 33,302,955
*        Fidelity Investments Institutional
          Operations Company, Inc.                Non Interest Bearing Cash                   **                76,016
*        Fidelity Investments Institutional
          Operations Company, Inc.                Penn Traffic Stock                          **                 5,909
*        Fidelity Investments Institutional
          Operations Company, Inc.                Fidelity Fund                               **            20,763,199
*        Fidelity Investments Institutional
          Operations Company, Inc.                Fidelity Puritan Fund                       **            10,590,657
*        Fidelity Investments Institutional
          Operations Company, Inc.                Fidelity Growth Company Fund                **             2,731,996
*        Fidelity Investments Institutional
          Operations Company, Inc.                Fidelity Diversified International Fund     **               539,025
*        Fidelity Investments Institutional
          Operations Company, Inc.                Fidelity Mid Cap Stock Fund                 **            42,434,845
*        Fidelity Investments Institutional
          Operations Company, Inc.                Fidelity Freedom Funds                      **             2,588,367
*        Fidelity Investments Institutional
          Operations Company, Inc.                Spartan US Equity Index Fund                **               673,468
*        Fidelity Investments Institutional
          Operations Company, Inc.                7.75%-9.25% Participant Loans               **             5,228,249
                                                                                                          -------------
                  Total investments                                                                       $118,934,686
                                                                                                          =============


*  Denotes party-in-interest investment.
** Cost omitted for participant directed participants.

                                       8

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                                    EXHIBITS

Exhibit Number                            Description

    23.1                             Consent of Independent Public Accountants


                                   SIGNATURES

      THE PLAN. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the Plan has duly caused this Annual Report to be signed by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                    THE PENN TRAFFIC COMPANY
                                    401(k) SAVINGS PLAN



                              By:
                                    -----------------------------------
                                    Bernadette Randall-Barber
                                    Chairperson
                                    Administrative Committee

Date: May 31, 2002


                                       9
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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

The following exhibit is filed as part of the Annual Report:

Exhibit Number                       Description                   Page Number

         23.1             Consent of Independent Accountants           13






                                       10


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                                                                    Exhibit 23-1




                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration
Statement on Form S-8 (No. 33-88275) of The Penn Traffic Company of our report
dated May 31, 2002, relating to the financial statements of The Penn Traffic
Company 401(k) Savings Plan, which appears in this Form 11-K.

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

May 31, 2002




                                       11