14 Food Retailing, Supermarkets, and Food Security: Highlights from Latin America

Abstract The importance of supermarkets in the world food economy has increased radically since the early 1990s. They are now major sellers and buyers of food items not only in developed but also in developing countries. Urbanization and the liberalization of the services sector have been important facilitators of this process. This chapter examines the emerging importance of supermarkets in Latin America, and their impact on both producers and consumers.