Comparative structure and development of retailing in the United Kingdom and Germany 1980-92

Abstract

This paper considers the organization structure of retailing in the UK and Germany over the period 1980-92 in terms of comparable retail trade classifications and organization size categories by number of outlets per organization. These data are used to identify shifts in the structure of the retail trades, and reference is made to contrasting institutional arrangements in the two countries, particularly legislation on retail planning and competition, that help to explain, for example, the less dominant position of large-scale retailers in Germany than in the UK.