The Grocers [Paperback]

Andrew Seth (Author), Geoffrey Randall (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2001

Over the last 20 years, retailing has become one of the most dynamic industry sectors and the supermarket chains in particular have become the focus of regular headline news. The history of retailing, though, goes back much further.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The Grocers is a terrific story compelling told; the growth of world retailers well portrayed. Written with authority by two consummate business professionals, the analysis of brands and retailing rang a whole lot bells." -- Niall Fitzgerald, Chairman, Unilever plc, London

About the Author

Geoffrey Randall is an independent consultant specializing in marketing training. He was previously Head of the Business School of the former Thames Polytechnic, and he now lectures at City University Business School, in London, and also consults on management education for public and private clients. He has written five books on marketing topics, including The Grocers: The Rise And Rise Of The Supermarket Chains (co-authored with Andrew Seth and published by Kogan Page).

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Kogan Page Business Books; 2nd edition (June 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0749435496
• ISBN-13: 978-0749435493
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,015,654 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Grocers are people too, May 18, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Grocers: The Rise and Rise of the Supermarket Chains (Hardcover)

From an Anglocentric base, Seth and Randall provide a fascinating history of grocery retailing. The facts and figures are all there for the serious of study but most of us will be riveted by the personalities. There is nothing much new about retailing after all: you break bulk and take a margin. Yet these grocers are wildly different people who have built successful, competitive businesses on the backs of strongly held personal beliefs.

The book opens with the leading (as of today) British supermarket, Tesco, and works down the UK pecking order. It must have been difficult for the authors to keep up with the rapidly changing sector and there was only just time to incorporate the Wal-Mart acquisition of Asda. Then the perspective broadens to continental Europe and the US. The last four chapters draw conclusions and make forecasts.

Here I particularly liked the profitability comparisons across the UK, US, France and Belgium (UK margins higher but return on capital about the same). They see the UK as more innovative which will certainly be challenged by others. And they bravely address the implications for, and as a result of, e-commerce.

Those of us who can rise above the Britishness of this book gain greatly from its fresh perspective and candor. I didn't agree quite a few of the authors' assertions but they made me think again.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Too much for students, April 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Grocers: The Rise and Rise of the Supermarket Chains (Hardcover)

I think that this book is written in difficult language, and not very structural (sometimes you do not know who they are talking about). But on overall it produces good history and development of major UK supermarkets, such as Tesco, Sainsbutys, Asda, Safeway.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!, July 12, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Grocers: The Rise and Rise of the Supermarket Chains (Hardcover)

As someone who works for one of the big UK supermarkets, i think that this book was brilliant, by giving me an insight into the grocery business on a more global scale. Perhaps, though the book could have been improved by going into more detail, particularly with the European and Asian markets, and also with some of the smaller UK players. I was also disapointed that the entry into the Irish market by Tesco, Sainsburys, Safeway, and Lidl was not covered in any detail.
The other problem is that the book is now sllightly out of date, but this is to be expected with such a fast changing sector.

Overall though, I would say that this is a good overview of the global grocery market, and an excellent overview of the UK Supermarket industry - a must buy for anyone interested in or studying the grocery retail.