The title of my assigned report is "Hypermarket's development in Italy". Since the total of these establishments, calculated with some generosity, is of about 20, we may immediately conclude that this development is anything but impressive. If we then take into account the fact that the first one was opened 13 years ago, we may observe that the average has been one per year and that in some lucky year we reached the total of 2. Someone could therefore suppose that this is a highly risky business, because such a slow development could be probably attributed to a supreme prudence of the Italian commercial entrepreneurs. But this is not the case, since hypermarkets are in general the most successful part of modern commerce in our Country.
The main objective was to draw the economic balance of each trade channel, in order for the administration to exert its arbitration in the best conditions of information. This general objective may be split into three separate ones, that we may sum up by three verbs: to clarify, to measure and to explain.
The overall objective of this paper is to demonstrate the role and effectiveness of trade attitude research in increasing the awareness and understanding of the manufacturer/trade relationship in order to identify elements upon which the profitable co-operation between retailer and manufacturers can be strategically implemented. Specifically, reference will be made to distribution effects in the toiletries and household goods markets. The paper is primarily based on a recently conducted attitude study, carried out by Gordon Simmons Research Limited for, and in co-ooeration with, Colgate-Palmolive (UK) Limited. The main stage of the study involved a sample of head office buyers, branch management, and back door personnel (i.e. staff responsible for receiving deliveries at the branch) among a selection of top grocery accounts in Great Britain
In 1976 the first generic range was launched by Carrefour in France, since when the concept has been adopted in many parts of the world. Their penetration has varied considerably between countries, depending in part upon existing own label strength and the buying power of major retailers. Some generics, such as the Carrefour range, are a form of repositioned own labels; others, as is common is the U.S.A., represent a second private label for the retailer. The U.K. is now experiencing rapid developments of both types of generics.
The twentieth century has seen considerable economic and social changes. Among the most important is the general rise in the standard of living in the industrialised countries. The continuous growth of consumption is evidence of this ; though it is still unequally distributed across the world, this growth appears as a basic trend of unprecedented amplitude. Commerce, which is the essential link between production and consumption, has undergone profound transformation. Formally it was a passive intermediary in the service of the producer; but it has become an active economic agent with new functions that serve consumers as well as producers. Its development makes modern commerce one of the dynamic sectors of the economy.