The Business of Food: Encyclopedia of the Food and Drink Industries

Quite rightly and very understandably, the food business is under intense scrutiny at the moment. During the latter half of the twentieth century, supermarkets grew without check throughout the USA, Europe and in much of Asia and Australasia. Customers flooded in, attracted by apparently low prices and the convenience of one‐stop shops with free car‐parking facilities. The major supermarket chains then took the opportunity granted by their domination of the market to force suppliers, at home and abroad, to produce goods to specification and at lower and lower prices. It was not only the supermarkets, but also the food and...