Dr Graham Clarke
Dr. David Clarke
1st October 1998 - 30th September 2002
School of Geography / GMAP
The market dynamics of British grocery retailing have received considerable attention in the literature, including patterns of store network expansion, market saturation, and levels of competition amongst firms. However, there is a lack of consideration of these issues in relation to European markets. The main aim of this thesis is to examine grocery retail market development across a selection of European countries.
Literature reviews explore the dynamic processes at work in ten European markets, in relation to Wrigley's analysis of food retailing in the UK: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, the Czech Republic, and the UK. These chapters examine whether other European countries have experienced similar trends associated with both the 'Golden Age' of retailers, and the subsequent end to that era, caused by a variety of factors relating to property crises, tightened planning legislation, new forms of competition, and perceived market saturation.
Investigation of changing competitive conditions, spatial monopolies, and implications for future geographical development of markets, are key elements of this research.
Floorspace and expenditure data are used to calculate performance measurement indicators, mapped at regional and sub-regional level across five European markets: the UK, France, Germany, Spain, and Portugal. These indicators on local market structure, floorspace provision, and competition, are used to infer where market potential might exist for retail network development.
Potential merger scenarios between major players in each market are evaluated, in light of the geographical incidence of monopolies and competition regulation. Following an examination of how further market concentration might exacerbate existing monopolies/duopolies, the store divestments retailers may be prepared to undertake to increase their market shares are considered.
Key outputs include provision rates of grocery retail floorspace per household, floorspace to expenditure rates, market share estimates, floorspace potential index, and merger scenarios. Indicators are analysed on a national basis before being compared at pan-European level during discussion of the main findings.