WUWM 6th Retail Conference, “The Future of Food Markets”

15 June 2013
Rotterdam, Netherlands

Executive summary:

During the 6th WUWM Retail Conference in Rotterdam experts discussed changing consumer behaviors and the need for retail markets to adept to such alterations. Public-private partnerships have been successful in supporting the achievement of diversification in retail markets and establishing effective retail market management. Despite these successes, more of these partnerships are needed to address four identified consumer priorities: availability, choice, service, and convenience. Attendants highlighted the importance of flexible local governments that are open to initiatives from retail markets. Experts further discussed retail market ownership and professionalizing market trading through increased client orientation.

The key outcomes of this meeting are:

  1. WUWM urges European decision-makers to consider that the food retail sector employs more than 30% (over 15 million) of all people working in the food chain in Europe. WUWM asks for recognition that shifts in consumer behavior, changing values, and a more regional consumer orientation, means sectors in food retailing must be enabled to adapt.
  2. To avoid a further decline of the current 80 000 people working in the Dutch food retail sector (i.e. food shops and markets, not supermarkets) a new positive format for food retail markets is needed. WUWM urges local government, not only in the Netherlands, but throughout Europe, to rethink its current short-term vision that ultimately favors only the supermarkets and large discounters, contributing to lost jobs, lost inner-city vitality and life. WUWM urges decision-makers to act in the long-term interests of consumers and local/small food businesses by ensuring fresh food retail markets are prominent considerations in urban planning. WUWM asks for decision-maker understanding and acknowledgement of the importance of markets to: real entrepreneurship and jobs; the defense of food product diversity, taste and quality; education and thereby protection of public health; and their promotion of a true business environment that complements city life and authentic human values.
  3. To be effective, public retail markets (whether open-air or covered) require efficient public space, excellent market management, investment, and attention to best practice. WUWM notes the many achievements in these areas in recent public-private partnerships and clearly a shift towards more cooperation and awareness is needed. WUWM believes the key four areas that will attract and bind future consumers are: availability, choice, service, and convenience. To support markets in offering those, local governments are urged to be more open minded, and to increase their flexibility and support for concrete initiatives as may be presented by the private sector.
  4. As sector professionals WUWM believes that with the elements of better recognition, better urban planning, long-term investment in public markets, improved market management, alongside teaming up and ensuring a renewed focus on the consumer, the negative trend of the declining number of visitors on markets and the high numbers of closures of small food retail shops can be stopped. The revival (and survival) of food specialists is vital for vast and well-documented socio-economic reasons – not only in The Netherlands, but in cities and towns all over the world.

Main issues discussed:

  • Presentation on Market Hall Rotterdam and Binnenrotte Retail Market
    • René Van Gool, Owner and Managing Director, VGSA Ltd, The Hague, the Netherlands
    • Ellen van Vugt, Project Manager, VGSA Ltd, The Hague, the Netherlands
  • Client-Orientated Markets
    • Jacqueline van Koningsbrugge, Project Manager, VGSA Ltd, The Hague, the Netherlands
    • Jan Willem van der Schans, Senior Researcher, Markets and Supply Chains, Agricultural Economics Research Institute of Wageningen University and Research, the Netherlands
    • René Van Gool, Owner and Managing Director, VGSA Ltd, The Hague, the Netherlands
  • Management & Ownership
    • Jean-Paul Auguste, Chairman, Groupe Geraud, Paris, France
    • Graham Wilson, CEO, NABMA, London, United Kingdom
    • Evelien Zeelenberg, ZuiderMRKT, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
    • Roberto Alonso Gordon, Chief of Studies, Mercasa, Madrid, Spain

Outcomes agreed to in the Declaration of 15 June 2013 (unanimous agreement of):

  1. We urge European decision-makers to consider that the food retail sector employs more than 30% (over 15 million) of all people working in the food chain in Europe. We ask for recognition that shifts in consumer behavior, changing values, and a more regional consumer orientation, means sectors in food retailing must be free to adapt also.
  2. To avoid a further decline of the current 80 000 people working in the Dutch food retail sector (i.e. food shops and markets, not supermarkets) a new positive format for food retail markets is needed. We urge local government, not only in the Netherlands, but throughout Europe, to rethink its current short-term vision that ultimately favors only the supermarkets and large discounters, contributing to lost jobs, lost inner-city vitality and life. We urge decision-makers to act in the long-term interests of consumers and local/small food businesses by ensuring fresh food retail markets are prominent considerations in urban planning. We ask for decision-maker understanding and acknowledgement of the importance of markets to: real entrepreneurship and jobs; the defense of food product diversity, taste and quality; education and thereby protection of public health; and their promotion of a true business environment that complements city life and authentic human values.
  3. To be effective, public retail markets (whether open-air or covered) require efficient public space, excellent market management, investment, and attention to best practice. We note the many achievements seen in these areas in recent public-private partnerships and clearly a shift towards more cooperation and awareness is needed. We believe the key four areas that will attract and bind future consumers are: availability, choice, service and convenience. To support markets in offering those, local governments are urged to be more open minded, and to increase their flexibility and support for concrete initiatives as may be presented by the private sector.
  4. Sometimes to achieve these ambitions a scale of operation is also needed… a variety of food retailers teaming together to offer place, scale and variety. And while combining ‘focus on the client’ with scale is one step, ‘convenience’ must also be added.
  5. As sector professionals we believe that with the above elements of better recognition, better urban planning, long-term investment in public markets, improved market management, alongside teaming up and ensuring a renewed focus on the consumer, the negative trend of the declining number of visitors on markets and the high numbers of closures of small food retail shops can be stopped. The revival (and survival) of food specialists is vital for vast and well-documented socio-economic reasons – not only in The Netherlands, but in cities and towns all over the world.
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