Here are the key differences between the two, and the reasons why you would use one and not the other. Less = something that is not in quantifiable units. That's a little vague, I know, so we'll take water as an example. You can have less water, because in the verbal state that it is just water, you cannot measure it. Still vague. Ok, well you can have liters of water, right? So when you have a quantifiable unit, such as liters or items or insects, you use fewer.
For example: "I have less stuff than you" vs. "I have fewer items than you." Stuff is not a unit of measurement, you are not concretely quantifying anything when you say you have more or less stuff. When you are speaking in items, on the other hand, you are measuring stuff with a specific unit, and you have more or fewer units.
Kind of clear? I hope? As always, any questions posted under comments will be answered ASAP, so ask away!
P.S. next time you go to a non-Whole Foods grocery store, try to look for the "__ items or less" aisle. As far as I know, it's still there.
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/
Just in case you felt like rewarding Whole Foods for their excellent employment of proper grammar by shopping there. I hear they have delicious pumpkin butter this time of year...
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