Food Retailing in Western Europe - 2002 Market Summary

The European food retail sector has continued to deviate since the start of the year 2002. The reasons for this are both sector-related and company-related. The sector lacks strong top-down stories: consolidation has dramatically slowed since early 2000, emerging markets have failed to live up to the high expectations of the mid-1990s, and growth remains constrained in key European markets.