Farmers and the market

This chapter examines the retail revolution and the emergence of the giant retail companies, which are particularly powerful in the UK. It describes the emergence of alternatives as the retailers face criticism for their style and the extent of their market share. The exceptional growth in market share and profits achieved by a small number of retail companies has undoubtedly been facilitated by the laissez faire regulatory environment in which these companies operate. The recession of the early 1990s was acutely felt in the property market and service sector, causing a major property crisis for the dominant food retailers. The growth of supermarket food retailing may have created many benefits for the consumer such as efficiency, choice, value for money, cleanliness, convenience and an ever-increasing range of goods on offer. Direct retailing occurs through a variety of means including farm shops, pick-your-own outlets, roadside stands, box delivery schemes and farmers’ markets.