This document discusses the roles and value of European food markets. It describes how wholesale markets concentrate food product offerings and facilitate price negotiations between producers and retailers. Retail markets then sell these products to consumers at various sites like open-air, street, and covered markets. Together, European wholesale and retail markets employ over 2 million people and generate over €80 billion in annual turnover. The document outlines five key values of these markets: 1) Ensuring quality and competitiveness of food products. 2) Contributing to food security, safety and hygiene. 3) Supporting public health, food access, and social cohesion. 4) Providing substantial urban employment. 5) Playing a significant role in environmental protection through waste reduction and

1. MICHEL GANNEAU
Wholesale-Retail Interactions:
from Producer to Consumer
Secretary General (Hon)
SEMMARIS

2. The European Food Markets
An old story…
but increasingly trendy!

3. The European Food Markets
(within WUWM)
WHOLESALE + RETAIL = Food Markets
They have mutual interests :
u Wholesale markets offer a large choice of
products with a good quality/price ratio;
u Retail markets find convenient to have a unique
place for buying rather than go from one farm to
the other.

4. The Wholesale Market
u Fills a gap between production and retail;
u Concentrates the offer of food products;
u Facilitates the economic function of price
formation;
u May perform storage and warehousing functions, as well
as transport from farm to market or from wholesale to
retail.

5. The Retail Market,
Logical extension of the wholesale market
u Sells to the end user;
u Is a faithful client of the wholesale Market;
u Skilled professionals with a good knowledge of
products and client needs;
u Is established on a large variety of sites:
Ø Open-air markets;
Ø Street markets;
Ø Covered markets.

6. The Food Chain
Farmers
Wholesale Markets
Retail Markets
Customers

7. Wholesale markets in Europe
(within WUWM)
u 110 markets in 22 different EU countries;
u 1 000 000 permanent employees;
u Annual combined turnover: € 42 billion
u Europe Supply share (in volume):
fruit and vegetable : 40%
Fish and fish products : 10%
Meat and meat products : 2%

8. Retail markets in Europe
(within WUWM)
u 25,000 different sites (open-air/street – covered);
u 450 000 market traders;
u 1 000 000 permanent employees;
u Yearly total turnover: > € 40 billion.

24. THE VALUE OF EUROPEAN FOOD MARKETS
1 – Real quality/competitiveness for Food
Products
u A good place to engage in price negotiation;
u Sustainability secured through professional
knowledge;
u An alternative route to market for producers.

25. THE VALUE OF EUROPEAN FOOD MARKETS
2 – Effective contributors to food security, safety
and hygiene
u Wholesale markets comply with the different
EC Regulations relative to food hygiene;
u Retail markets take advantage of that in
addition to their specific rules on the subject.

26. THE VALUE OF EUROPEAN FOOD MARKETS
3 – Role in public health, food access and social
cohesion
u Retail markets are a point of exchange
between various strata of society;
u Wholesale markets provide opportunities for
education (children/adults);
u Many markets support food banks.

27. THE VALUE OF EUROPEAN FOOD MARKETS
4 –Markets offer substantial employment in cities
u Over 2 million employees work on wholesale
and retail markets in Europe;
u The 2 structures give entrepreneurs easy
access and low cost entry in business start-
ups;
u They help to maintain activities in the lower
paid jobs categories.

28. THE VALUE OF EUROPEAN FOOD MARKETS
5 –Markets play a significant role in
environmental protection
u Waste recycling is largely encouraged. The
market model creates minimal food wastage;
u Products bought on these markets have
generally less packaging;
u Markets help reduce food miles and encourage
more environmental friendly production
practices.

29. PROMOTING EUROPEAN FOOD MARKETS
u Children/adults visits;
u “5 a day”, “the taste week”… campaigns;
u Cooking recipes;
u Media (Press, Radio, TV…);
u Others….
u “Love your Local Market” campaign.

30. THE EUROPEAN FOOD MARKETS
For more details:
- www.wuwm.org
- m.cavit@wuwm.org
Thank you for your attention