Overview

The U.S. food marketing system links farms to consumers via food manufacturing, wholesaling, and retailing (food stores and food service facilities).

Food wholesaling consists of that part of food marketing in which goods are assembled, stored, and transported to retailers, food service operators, other wholesalers, government, and other types of businesses. The retail food industry has changed significantly over the past 2 decades, as warehouse club stores, drugstores, and other nontraditional food stores have increased their shares of food sales. Changes in consumer food choices are reflected in food retailing, including the introduction of new products to meet new consumer demands.

ERS conducts research on:

trends in wholesale sales by type of outlets, wholesalers, and products;
sales and sales growth of traditional and nontraditional retail food stores;
retail industry competition and organization;
trends and developments in various types of food stores; and
public policy topics such as access to affordable and nutritious food and the development of local food systems.

Concentration and Competition in U.S. Agribusiness The Prevalence of the “Natural” Claim on Food Product Packaging Estimating the State-Level Food Expenditure Series A Disaggregated View of Market Concentration in the Food Retail Industry COVID-19 Working Paper: Consumer Food Spending Changes During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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Dollar Store Entry Affects Rural Grocery Stores More Than Urban Higher Aggregate Incomes Buoyed U.S. Food Spending During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Recession Rural Counties Losing Share of Grocery Stores, Gaining Other Types of Food Retailers Food Taxes Linked With Spending Habits of Lower Income Households Food Spending by U.S. Consumers Fell Almost 8 Percent in 2020

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Food Environment Atlas Food Price Outlook Food Expenditure Series Price Spreads from Farm to Consumer Food Access Research Atlas

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Food Markets & Prices Food Prices, Expenditures, and Establishments Consumer and Producer Price Indexes Food Service Industry Processing & Marketing

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