Twenty Years of Competition Reshape the U.S. Food Marketing System

摘要

The past 20 years have brought significant changes in structure and competition in the U.S. food marketing system. Wal-Mart opened its first super center in 1988, offering food items as well as department store merchandise. Since then, the company hasbecome the nation's leading retailer of grocery products. Warehouse clubs, dollar stores, drugstores, and natural and organic food stores have also made their mark in the food industry, each with a unique mix of products, services and pricing strategies. Foreign-owned retailers and restaurants and other foodservice options also are sources of competition for U.S. consumers' food dollars.