Retail Power and Private Standards in the Agri-Food Chain

Abstract

In recent years there has been an increased focus on private retail standards (PRS)—both individual and collective—in Europe and elsewhere. These standards, which may include rules on infrastructure, equipment, modes of production, processing, and quality management, have implications for not only economic relations within the agri-food chain but also political and social relations as well. This article provides an overview of the evolution of collective private retail standards (in particular international ones), outlining: how and why these standards have come to play an increasingly dominant role on the agri-food chain; their implications on their sustainability; the opportunities and threats for the agri-food chain, with a focus on developing countries. As a result, we conclude that the growing power of retailers along the agri-food chain produces ambivalent effects, especially in terms of sustainability, that merit further study. At the same time, we underline that there is still a considerable debate as to whether standards should be thought of as opportunities or barriers for development.

KEYWORDS:

• private retail standards (PRS)
• sustainability
• agri-food chain