| Record prices during mid-2004, tipping 530 c/kg (MLA 2004b) have lead to increased interest in the production of lamb. Overall sheep numbers have fallen by 30% in the last decade, while prime lamb production is increasing. With the consumer-dominating product selection there has been a changing role of the producer and a shift in power to retailers. In Australia the major supermarket chains – i.e. Coles, Woolworths and their subsidiaries - had 40% of the retail grocery market in 1970 (AFFA and ABARE 2000). By 2000-01 this figure had moved to 63% (ABARE 2002). Internationally Wal-Mart and Carrefour operate in more than 30 countries, with sales of 273,335 million Euro (A$488,098 million) in 2000/01. This compares with Woolworths, Coles and BiLo with sales of... |
