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An empirical investigation of Wal-Mart's expansion into food retailing

Author

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  • Alessandro Bonanno

    (Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, The Pennsylvania State University, 207-D, Armsby Building, University Park, PA 16802-5600)

Abstract
After revolutionizing the concept of mass merchandising with its Discount Stores, Wal-Mart has entered food retailing with its Supercenters, and has become the largest food retailer in the United States. Despite its relevance, little empirical research has focused on explaining the company's entry and expansion into food retailing. Wal-Mart's expansion into food retailing through its store conversion strategy is analyzed using an industrial organization entry framework. The results show that Wal-Mart's store conversion strategy has targeted largely populated areas with low population density, a high percentage of population receiving food stamps, and where the presence of incumbents is modest. The results also provide evidence that as the company moves toward saturation of local markets and increases store conversion rates, it may be forced to reconsider some of its strategic decisions based on the exploitation of economies of density and store conversion. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Suggested Citation

  • Alessandro Bonanno, 2010. "An empirical investigation of Wal-Mart's expansion into food retailing," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(2), pages 220-242.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:agribz:v:26:y:2010:i:2:p:220-242
    DOI: 10.1002/agr.20215
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Rebecca Cleary & Jean-Paul Chavas, 2022. "Strategic supermarket pricing of private labels and manufacturer brands," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 62(6), pages 2921-2950, June.
    2. Baines, Joseph, 2015. "Encumbered Behemoth: Wal-Mart, Differential Accumulation and International Retail Restructuring," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, pages 149-166.
    3. Alessandro Bonanno & Stephan J. Goetz, 2012. "WalMart and Local Economic Development," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 26(4), pages 285-297, November.
    4. Bonanno, Alessandro & Goetz, Stephan J., 2012. "Food Store Density, Nutrition Education, Eating Habits and Obesity," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 15(4), pages 1-26, November.
    5. Bonanno, Alessandro & Chenarides, Lauren & Goetz, Stephan J., 2012. "Limited Food Access as an Equilibrium Outcome: An Empirical Analysis," 2012 AAEA/EAAE Food Environment Symposium 123196, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    6. Bonanno, Alessandro & Lopez, Rigoberto A., 2012. "Wal-Mart's monopsony power in metro and non-metro labor markets," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(4), pages 569-579.

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