ABSTRACT
Polarisation of business has had dramatic impacts on shop numbers: in 1960 there were 140 000 grocery shops with multiples commanding about 20 per cent of total sales; by 1980 grocery shops had reduced to 60 000 and by 1990 to around 50 000. In 1991 the five top multiple companies, with only 5 per cent of grocery outlets, commanded over 61 per cent of total grocery turnover. A similar concentration has occurred in the home improvement business.
