Food retail buying processes – a study of the UK, Italy and Sweden

Investigates the issue of retail buying by focusing on the process rather than on any specific point in time. Considers the use of information and information technology (IT) during the buying process, building on case studies from three European countries. Analyses how buying processes in food retailing are structured in different buying contexts; what information is utilised in the process; and how IT is utilised throughout the buying process. Reveals that in all the case studies the activities of the retail buying process were quite similar. It was mainly the same sequence of activities that was performed (even though there were some differences related to what parts of the process the retailers emphasised). Concludes that it was not possible to detect any real process innovation but rather everybody follows basically the same routine processes.