128 chapter 11 united kingdom food retailing 1 market structure characteristics and evolution is the single most important component of uk retail sales with 47 total in 1997 last twenty years have witnessed an enormous change its organisation this has shifted from being rather unsophisticated into highly technological sophisticated concentrated large multiple stores become dominant selling a variety non products offering many additional services to their customers can be divided three main groups smaller symbol convenience discounters independent retailers specialist outlets these been losing share significantly as shown table 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 multiples 62 9 64 3 66 0 65 6 67 16 2 8 4 7 5 independents 10 off licences
