ABSTRACT
American systems of shopping centres differ basically from those of Europe, even though retail trends in Europe tend to follow closely those of America. There are important differences, as we have seen, in the structure of retail establishments by form of organisation, by product mix, by scale of operation, and by technology of retailing; American retailing has also been in general the more competitive. We have noted some of the influences on retail systems of differences in population distribution, in per capita income, social structure, ethnic composition of the market, and above all in consumer mobility. Among the resultant contrasts are the extent and pace of retail decentralisation within American metropolitan areas and the role of planned drive-in shopping centres.
