ABSTRACT
The various literatures in the subject areas of retail and economic geography, rural sociology and food policy studies have begun to focus upon the significance of retailers in the provision of foods in advanced economies. This study, of the British case in the 1990s, has tried to contribute to this work by integrating corporate retailing developments with both the regulation and consumption of foods. We have attempted to show that the regulation and provision of food is conditioned by a particular combination of public and private interests in Britain. In particular, in all three sections of the volume we have sought to integrate the active role of corporate retailers, government and consumer organisations and their representatives. It is out of the interplay of these three spheres that food provision is regulated, different types of foods are put on offer and the ‘competitive space’ for corporate retail capital is created.
