The 1970s in retailing: a retrospective view

The 1970s were nothing if not packed with incident. Characterised by endemic inflation and the upheaval which followed the energy crisis of 1974, the decade nonetheless saw a measure of income redistribution and substantial changes in consumption patterns. At the same time the retail sector itself was experiencing profound change. Food multiples moved into major non‐food areas, with varying degrees of success; virtually new sectors, in areas such as home improvement and DIY, developed; fashion finished the decade in some disarray, with a number of casualties. Nonetheless the combination of economic and social change prompted the major retail groups to innovate with some success. In this special review David Walters charts the 1970s in retailing — a decade of change.