Physical Distribution futures for UK food industry

Abstract

Two years ago David Walters carried out his well publicised “Delphi” study which attempted to establish cause and effect relationships between changes in retailing and developments in physical distribution (RDM, September/October 1973). This article, proceeding logically from the study, looks into the future development of physical distribution in terms of changes in the grocery retailing environment. For the High Street supermarket, more efficient forecasting and inventory control programmes are already available which should help offset the supermarket's lack of storage space and need to be serviced by small vehicles. Supermarkets in edge‐of‐town locations have fewer problems; storage space is generous and volume is such that orders can be delivered in unit loads on pallets or containers.

Citation

Walters, D. (1975), "Physical Distribution futures for UK food industry", Retail and Distribution Management, Vol. 3 No. 5, pp. 42-57. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb060384