Distribution – The Contract Approach Available to Purchase

In recent years, retailers have come to the fore in the development of distribution systems in the UK. With this move has come the greatly accelerated use of “distribution service companies” to provide tailored, dedicated, contractual solutions to the distribution needs of retailers. This article reviews the development of this trend,identifies the major causes of it, considers the advantages and drawbacks of contract solutions, examines a number of specific cases and speculates as to what further penetration dedicated contracts may achieve in both retailing and other distribution areas.