Food Retailing

Synonyms

Food procurement; Food sale; Grocery; Retailing value chains

Introduction

The retailing of food refers specifically to the marketing and sale of food items, both processed and fresh, from a retailing outlet. This retail outlet in North America and within an increasingly global context takes the form of a grocery store. In addition to food and food-related items, grocery outlets are increasingly beginning to offer a diverse range of products from pharmaceuticals and home goods, to furniture, clothing, and banking services. As cities and the populous’ grew further away from agricultural sites, there was an increasing dependence on food retailing outlets for one’s food procurement. While there are other models of food retailing such as Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and farmer’s market models, this entry will refer specifically to those brick-and-mortar outlets that are privately or publicly managed companies. In Canada, the food retailing scene is dominated by just three...