Health Information Exchange: Benefits and Concerns Essay

Health Information Exchange is the electronic transmission exchange from one health care professional to another. Health Information Exchange allows health care professionals and patients to appropriately access and securely share patient’s medical information electronically. Our industry is been working hard in the process and development of this new process, for the benefit of the patient and healthcare professionals. Some individuals with access to HIE are physicians, nurses, pharmacists, medical assistants, medical biller and coders and so forth. It is important to have an understanding about different health care professionals having access to the patient medical record. HIE benefits include: Provides improvement for quality and safety of patient care by reducing prescription and medical errors. The education and orientation to patients’ involvement in their own health care. Increases efficiency by eliminating unnecessary paperwork. Provides caregivers with clinical decision support tools for more effective care and treatment. Eliminates redundant or unnecessary testing. Improves public health reporting and monitoring. Creates a potential loop for feedback between health-related research and actual practice. Facilitates efficient deployment of emerging technology and health care services. Provides the backbone of technical infrastructure for leverage by national and State-level initiatives. Provides a basic level of interoperability among electronic health records (EHRs) maintained by individual physicians and organizations. Reduces health related costs (The benefits & risks of health information exchange & health information technology. (n.d.). The first step in EHR implementation is to conduct an assessment of your current practice and its goals, needs, and financial and technical readiness. Your practice can design an implementation plan that meets the specific needs of your practice. Eligible health care professionals and eligible hospitals must use certified EHR technology in order to achieve meaningful use and qualify for incentive payments. It is important in an EHR when working in the implementation process to involve, training, mock â€Å"go-live,† and pilot testing for system improvement. (HIE benefits) The final phase of EHR implementation includes successfully attesting to demonstrating meaningful use of EHRs, and reassessing what you have learned from training and everyday use of the system implementation to continue improving workflows that achieve the individual practice’s goals. The process and steps to follow on an HER system, most health care providers are covered entities, and thus, need HIPAA responsibilities for individually identifiable health information. Your leadership especially emphasizing the importance of protecting patient health information is vital to your privacy and security activities. HIPAA requires covered providers to designate an individual for both a privacy and a security officer on their staff and delegate the responsibility of security system in a practice. Documentation shows why and where you have security measures in place, how you created them, and what you do to monitor them. Create a paper or electronic folder for your practice medical records. The Center of Medicare Services advises all providers that attest for the EHR incentive programs to retain all relevant records that support attestation. These records will be essential if you ever are audited for compliance with HIPAA or an EHR incentive program. (Anthony, R. (2013, September 19). Cms and ehealth.) Risk Analysis Plan compares your current security measures to what is legally and  pragmatically required to safeguard patient health information. The risk analysis identifies high priority threats and vulnerabilities on EHR. You or a security risk professional can conduct your practice’s risk analysis, but you either way you will want to know what to expect. Often, basic security measures can be highly effective and affordable. Using your risk analysis results, discuss and develop an action plan to mitigate the identified risks. The plan should have five components: administrative, physical, and technical safeguards; policies and procedures; and organizational standards. (Health information exchange: Is your privacy protected?. (2012, July) Every practice should develop a Risk Management Plan. It is the practice responsibility to develop written and up-to-date policies and procedures about how your practice protects e-PHI. All these records should be retained on all outdated policies and procedures for future audits on your practice. For the security of patient health information (PHI), your workforce must know how to implement your policies, procedures, and security audits. HIPAA requires you as a covered provider to train your workforce on policies and procedures. Also, your staff must receive formal training on breach notification. (Health information exchange: Is your privacy protected? (2012, July) Your patients may be concerned about confidentiality and security of health information on an EHR. Emphasize the benefits of EHRs to them as patients, perhaps using patient education materials available in the Privacy & Security Resources section. Do not register and attest for an EHR Incentive program until you have conducted your security risk analysis (or reassessment) and corrected any deficiencies identified during the risk analysis. Document these changes/corrections. Providers participating in the EHR Incentive Program can be audited. When you attest to meaningful use, it is a legal statement that you have met specific standards, including that you protect ePHI. Work with your EHR vendor(s) to let them know that protecting patient health information and meeting your HIPAA privacy and security responsibilities regarding electronic health in formation in your EHR is one of your major goals. Involve your practice staff and any other partners that you have to help streamline this process. HIPAA privacy regulations Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (â€Å"HIPAA†). The Privacy Rule standards address the use and disclosure of individuals’ health information—called â€Å"protected health information† by organizations subject to the Privacy Rule — called â€Å"covered entities,† as well as standards for individuals’ privacy rights to understand and control how their health information is used. Within HHS, the Office for Civil Rights (â€Å"OCR†) has responsibility for implementing and enforcing the Privacy Rule with respect to voluntary compliance activities and civil money penalties. HITECH The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, enacted as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, was signed into law on February 17, 2009, to promote the adoption and meaningful use of health information technology. Subtitle D of the HITECH Act addresses the privacy and security concerns associated with the electronic transmission of health information, in part, through several provisions that strengthen the civil and criminal enforcement of the HIPAA rules. Standards & Interoperability The work promoting the adoption and uptake of health information technology is the key to ensuring the goals of the HITECH Act. But work being done to ensure that the technical standards and specifications are in place to support this technology is also critical to the development and success of a fully functional nationwide health IT ecosystem. Some of the Risks of HIE include: Identity Theft Although health information benefits from all the security measures developed in other economic areas such as defense and finance, it has the same risks these other areas have experienced. Identity theft can occur with both paper files and electronic files, but a breach of electronic files may affect more records than a breach of paper files. Errors Just like a paper health record, if the health care provider does not enter the correct information, that information remains in the health record until it is corrected. Electronic information can provide checks and balances that  paper health records cannot. Hackers Electronic health care information benefits from the security measure developed by other industries. Health care is the last frontier of information technology, so anti-hacking security measures from other economic areas are already used. However, hackers will continue to try to break security codes just like they do in other electronic systems. Encryption Covered entities must encrypt protected health information when it â€Å"is a reasonable and appropriate safeguard.† When the HIPAA Security Rule was implemented in 2002, encryption was high in cost and challenging to use. The result is that many covered entities still do not encrypt their data. With the enormous amount of personal medical information that will be moving around electronically as HIE gets underway and spreads, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) needs to make encryption a requirement and set standards for its use in all practices. Personal mobile devices Smartphones, tablets and USB drives are ubiquitous. Health care providers often use their own unsecured devices to record and transmit unencrypted work-related health information. The speed with which such devices have been adopted is well ahead of policies that govern their use. According to a number of recent studies, the vulnerability of mobile devices is already playing a significant role in medical data breaches. The cloud That is, remote servers where more and more businesses are moving their data—will be essential in an era of electronic health information exchange, if for no other reason than the staggering quantities of data that digitizing the medical records of the entire U.S. population will create. Health care providers may also want to host their patient portals on cloud-based servers. Patient portals are websites where patients can access their medical records and exchange email with their providers. Cloud services are developing more quickly than laws or regulations can address. As a patient you’re unlikely to know where your medical records actually reside. And you’re forced to rely on the security practices of others to  protect the privacy of your information. The Privacy Rule gives you, with few exceptions, the right to inspect, review, and receive a copy of your medical records and billing records that are held by health plans and health care providers covered by the Privacy Rule. Only you or your personal representative has the right to access your records. A health care provider or health plan may send copies of your records to another provider or health plan as needed for treatment or payment or as authorized by you. However, the Privacy Rule does not require the health care provider or health plan to share information with other providers or plans. You do not have the right to access a provider’s psychotherapy notes. Psychotherapy notes are notes taken by a mental health professional during a conversation with the patient and kept separate from the patient’s medical and billing records. The Privacy Rule also does not permit the provider to make most disclosures of psychotherapy notes about you without your authorization . Because HIE’s primary purpose is to improve the quality of medical care, your health care providers’ priorities are to gain and allow access to a comprehensive record of your medical history. When the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finalizes its â€Å"accounting of disclosures† rule, providers that maintain EHRs will have to account to you for all disclosures of your personal health information that it makes for purposes of treatment, payment, and business operations for three years prior to the date of your request. (Health information exchange brief examines privacy and security concerns. (2012, June 13). Until HHS’ rule is final, you can get an accounting that goes back six years prior to your request, but this DOES NOT include disclosures for treatment, payment, or business operations. Therefore the disclosures you are currently able to get may seem largely incomplete and irrelevant to the purposes for which you want them. You also have access to your own medical records (apart from psychotherapy notes about you), but you must request them directly from your providers. It is not possible to request your records through an HIE. It has to be in person from the practice you are requesting medical records from. However, your doctor should be able to give you—or will soon be able to give you—what’s called a Continuity of Care Record (CCR) after each visit. The CCR is a summary of the most relevant and up-to-date facts about your care and treatment with that provider. A CCR can be helpful for you, and can also  provide a current snapshot of your medical status for the next doctor you visit. A CCR may be transmitted either on paper or electronically. HIE is a tremendous tool to utilize in the healthcare industry. However, different challenges still existing now days. Effective and Affordable Technology is a big issue and the primary problem. HIE required costly network, connections hardware, software and so forth. Some practices including hospitals can’t afford the cost of technology. Providers are trying to save in cost of information transmission and are always looking for inexpensive vendors. Practices are also working on overcoming these obstacles, but are very hard to overcome. HIEs can support care management by making it possible to generate patient reports for use at the point of care. It may also be easier to identify patients who are not following a prescribed care regimen or not meeting its goals, and to measure how well providers are delivering recommended care. This all goes along with the government’s goal of shifting the health care payment model from one of fee for service to payment based on outcomes; that is, not just whether you saw a doctor but whether you benefited from seeing her. The goals of HIE are to improve the quality of care and make delivering it more efficient and cost-effective. Once electronic medical records are available everywhere, for all patients, though, it is inevitable that more people will want access to this data. It is a goldmine for medical research and all kinds of statistical analysis, for example. Conclusion HIE will continue providing planning and implementation within health care organizations. We must comply as HIM professionals providing the best of our knowledge to contribute in this process. Also we need to follow HIPPA policies and procedures in our place of employment and commit ourselves to meet our goal which is providing the best on patient care. The more we work as a team; at the end of the road it will be easier on us to have our job done and accurate at the end of the road. Avoiding errors is also our responsibility as an HIM professionals. Let’s not focus on productivity, which is important, but also let’s put ourselves in the patient’s situation. We are also patient’s and we like to have things done the right way. References Rhodes, H. (2013, August 05). Seven unintended consequences of electronic HIE. Retrieved from http://www.healthit.gov/policy-researchers-implementers/reports HIE benefits. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.healthit.gov/providers-professionals/health-information-exchange/hie-benefits The benefits & risks of health information exchange & health information technology. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nchica.org/GetInvolved/CACHI/HIEbenefits-risks.htm Anthony, R. (2013, September 19). Cms and ehealth. Retrieved from http://www.cms.gov/eHealth/downloads/Webinar_eHealth_September19_CMSeHealthOverview.pdf Health information exchange: Is your privacy protected?. (2012, July). Retrieved from https://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fsC6/CA-medical-HIE Health information exchange brief examines privacy and security concerns. (2012, June 13). Retrieved from https://www.cdt.org/pr_statement/health-information-exchange-brief-examines-privacy-and-security-concerns

Food Retail in Europe

INDUSTRY PROFILE Food Retail in Europe Reference Code: 0201-2058 Publication Date: June 2010 www. datamonitor. com Datamonitor USA 245 Fifth Avenue 4th Floor New York, NY 10016 USA t: +1 212 686 7400 f: +1 212 686 2626 e: [email  protected] com Datamonitor Europe 119 Farringdon Road London EC1R 3DA United Kingdom t: +44 20 7551 9000 f: +44 20 7675 7500 e: [email  protected] com Datamonitor Middle East and North America Datamonitor PO Box 24893 Dubai, UAE t: +49 69 9754 4517 f: +49 69 9754 4900 e: [email  protected] datamonitor. om Datamonitor Asia Pacific Level 46, 2 Park Street Sydney, NSW 2000 Australia t: +61 2 8705 6900 f: +61 2 8705 6901 e: [email  protected] com Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Market value The European food retail industry grew by 8. 5% in 2009 to reach a value of $1,663. 1 billion. Market value foreca st In 2014, the European food retail industry is forecast to have a value of $2,477. billion, an increase of 49% since 2009. Market segmentation I Hypermarkets, supermarkets, and discounters sales proved the most lucrative for the European food retail industry in 2009, with total revenues of $798. 5 billion, equivalent to 48% of the industry's overall value. Market segmentation II Germany accounts for 14. 1% of the European food retail industry value. Market rivalry The industry is becoming consolidated with large chain supermarkets or hypermarkets wielding more power over smaller specialty, luxury or organic food outlets. Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 2 CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY MARKET OVERVIEW Market definition Research highlights Market analysis MARKET VALUE MARKET SEGMENTATION I MARKET SEGMENTATION II FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS Summary Buyer power Supplier power New entrants Substitutes Rivalry LEADING COMPANIES Metro AG Carrefour S. A. Lidl Dienstleistung Tesco PLC MARKET FORECASTS Market value forecast APPENDIX Methodology Industry associations Related Datamonitor research Disclaimer 2 7 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 13 15 17 18 19 20 21 21 25 29 30 34 34 35 35 36 36 37 Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 3 CONTENTS ABOUT DATAMONITOR Premium Reports Summary Reports Datamonitor consulting 38 38 38 38 Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 4 CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Table 2: Table 3: Table 4: Table 5: Table 6: Table 7: Table 8: Table 9: Table 10: Table 11: Table 12: Table 13: Table 14: Table 15: Table 16: Table 17: Europe food retail industry value: $ billion, 2005–09(e) Europe food retail industry segmentation I:% share, by value, 2009(e) Europe food retail industry segmentation II: % share, by v alue, 2009(e) Metro AG: key facts Metro AG: key financials ($) Metro AG: key financials (â‚ ¬) Metro AG: key financial ratios Carrefour S. A. : key facts Carrefour S. A. : key financials ($) Carrefour S. A. : key financials (â‚ ¬) Carrefour S. A. : key financial ratios Lidl Dienstleistung: key facts Tesco PLC: key facts Tesco PLC: key financials ($) Tesco PLC: key financials (? ) Tesco PLC: key financial ratios Europe food retail industry value forecast: $ billion, 2009–14 10 11 12 21 22 22 23 25 27 27 27 29 30 31 31 32 34 Europe – Food Retail Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 5 CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Figure 2: Figure 3: Figure 4: Figure 5: Figure 6: Figure 7: Europe food retail industry value: $ billion, 2005–09(e) Europe food retail industry segmentation I:% share, by value, 2009(e) Europe food retail industry segmentation II: % share, by value, 2009(e) Forces driving ompetition in the food retail industry in Europe, 2009 Drivers of buyer power in the food retail industry in Europe, 2009 Drivers of supp lier power in the food retail industry in Europe, 2009 Factors influencing the likelihood of new entrants in the food retail industry in Europe, 2009 Factors influencing the threat of substitutes in the food retail industry in Europe, 2009 Drivers of degree of rivalry in the food retail industry in Europe, 2009 Metro AG: revenues & profitability Metro AG: assets & liabilities Carrefour S. A. : revenues & profitability Carrefour S. A. : assets & liabilities Tesco PLC: revenues & profitability Tesco PLC: assets & liabilities Europe food retail industry value forecast: $ billion, 2009–14 10 11 12 13 15 17 18 19 20 23 24 28 28 32 33 34 Figure 8: Figure 9: Figure 10: Figure 11: Figure 12: Figure 13: Figure 14: Figure 15: Figure 16: Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 6 MARKET OVERVIEW MARKET OVERVIEW Market definition The food retail market includes the retail sales of all food products, both packaged and unpackaged, as well as beverages (including retail sales of all alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages). All on-trade sales of food and beverage are excluded. All currency conversions are calculated at constant average 2009 exchange rates. For the purposes of this report, Europe consists of Western Europe and Eastern Europe. Western Europe comprises Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Eastern Europe comprises the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia, and Ukraine. Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 7 MARKET OVERVIEW Research highlights The European food retail industry had total revenue of $1,663. 1 billion in 2009, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7. 4% for the period spanning 2005-2009. Hypermarkets, supermarkets, and discounters sales proved the most lucrative for the European food retail industry in 2009, with total revenues of $798. 5 billion, equivalent to 48% of the industry's overall value. The performance of the industry is forecast to accelerate, with an anticipated CAGR of 8. % for the fiveyear period 2009-2014, which is expected to drive the industry to a value of $2,477. 4 billion by the end of 2014. Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 8 MARKET OVERVIEW Market analysis The European food ret ail industry has experienced very strong growth in recent years and the forecast is for this to gently accelerate towards 2014. The European food retail industry had total revenue of $1,663. 1 billion in 2009, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7. 4% for the period spanning 2005-2009. In comparison, the German and UK industries grew with CAGRs of 2. 1% and 4. 2% respectively, over the same period, to reach respective values of $234. 8 billion and $186. 1 billion in 2009. Hypermarkets, supermarkets, and discounters sales proved the most lucrative for the European food retail industry in 2009, with total revenues of $798. 5 billion, equivalent to 48% of the industry's overall value. In comparison, convenience stores and gas stations generated sales of $381. 3 billion in 2009, equating to 22. 9% of the industry's aggregate revenues. The performance of the industry is forecast to accelerate, with an anticipated CAGR of 8. % for the fiveyear period 2009-2014, which is expected to drive the industry to a value of $2,477. 4 billion by the end of 2014. Comparatively, the German and UK industries will grow with CAGRs of 2. 5% and 3. 4% respectively, over the same period, to reach respective values of $265. 5 billion and $219. 4 billion in 2014. Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 9 MARKET VALUE MARKET VALUE The European food retail industry grew by 8. 5% in 2009 to reach a value of $1,663. 1 billion. The compound annual growth rate of the industry in the period 2005–09 was 7. 4%. Table 1: Year 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009(e) CAGR: 2005–09 Source: Datamonitor Europe food retail industry value: $ billion, 2005–09(e) $ billion 1,248. 6 1,321. 6 1,412. 4 1,533. 3 1,663. 1 â‚ ¬ billion 897. 9 950. 4 1,015. 8 1,102. 7 1,196. 1 % Growth 5. 8 6. 9 8. 6 8. 5 7. 4% DATAMONITOR Figure 1: Europe food retail industry value: $ billion, 2005–09(e) Source: Datamonitor DATAMONITOR Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 10 MARKET SEGMENTATION I MARKET SEGMENTATION I Hypermarket, Supermarket, & Discounters is the largest segment of the food retail industry in Europe, accounting for 48% of the industry's total value. The convenience stores & gas stations segment accounts for a further 22. 9% of the industry. Table 2: Category Hypermarket, Supermarket, & Discounters Convenience Stores & Gas Stations Food and Drinks Specialists Drug Stores & Health and Beauty Stores Cash & Carries & Warehouse Clubs Other Total Source: Datamonitor Europe food retail industry segmentation I:% share, by value, 2009(e) % Share 48. 0% 22. 9% 14. 9% 3. 4% 1. 4% 9. 4% 100% DATAMONITOR Figure 2: Europe food retail industry segmentation I:% share, by value, 2009(e) Source: Datamonitor DATAMONITOR Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 11 MARKET SEGMENTATION II MARKET SEGMENTATION II Germany accounts for 14. 1% of the European food retail industry value. France accounts for a further 13. 5% of the European industry. Table 3: Category Germany France Italy United Kingdom Spain Rest of Europe Total Source: Datamonitor Europe food retail industry segmentation II: % share, by value, 2009(e) % Share 14. % 13. 5% 12. 2% 11. 2% 7. 8% 41. 1% 100% DATAMONITOR Figure 3: Europe food retail industry segmentation II: % share, by value, 2009(e) Source: Datamonitor DATAMONITOR Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 12 FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS The food retail market will be analyzed taking supermarkets, hypermarkets and specialist retailers as players. The key buyers will be taken as end-consumers, and food manufacturers, farmers, agricultural co-operatives as the key suppliers. Summary Figure 4: Forces driving competition in the food retail industry in Europe, 2009 Source: Datamonitor DATAMONITOR The industry is becoming consolidated with large chain supermarkets or hypermarkets wielding more power over smaller specialty, luxury or organic food outlets. In our analysis of the global food retail industry, retailers such as supermarkets, hypermarkets, and specialist outlets, will be taken as industry players and end-consumers will be understood as buyers. With a range of different players within the industry, the size and financial strength of each varies accordingly. With consumers generally facing no substantial switching costs, this buyer mobility forces larger retailers to maintain attractive pricing schemes. Specialist, luxury, or organic retailers do not face the same price sensitivity due to the unique level of product differentiation, yet due to the nature of such products, they exist more as niche markets and are not able to secure a large volume of consumers. Specialist outlets may have no choice but to commit to long term supplier contracts in order to secure a steady supply of quality or specially prepared products. Whereas, supermarkets and hypermarkets have a higher number of options and can hold looser relationships with a larger number of suppliers. Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 13 FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS Where branded products attract loyal consumers, the distribution channel for manufacturers is protected and retailers face pressure to stock the popular items. With established supermarkets and hypermarkets present, potential new entrants may struggle to compete with aggressive marketing and pricing policies. Nonetheless, relatively low entry and exit costs within the industry and the emergence of thriving health and ethical niches offer examples of possible niches in which new entrants may flourish sheltered from direct competition with current players. Food service (takeaways, vendors and restaurants) can be seen as a substitute to food retail products however for the vast majority of people it currently exists as an occasional accompaniment rather than a wholesale alternative. Subsistence farming is a more direct substitute, sometimes replacing standard retail behavior outright, yet it is no longer common. The absence of switching costs for consumers ensures a competitive climate within the food retail industry. Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 14 FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS Buyer power Figure 5: Drivers of buyer power in the food retail industry in Europe, 2009 Source: Datamonitor DATAMONITOR Retailers range widely in size with large chain supermarkets or hypermarkets such as Tesco and Metro AG wielding power over smaller specialty, luxury or organic food outlets whose grip on the industry is significant but currently limited. Accordingly, the financial muscle of industry players differs depending on the type of player. The sheer volume of potential customers in key areas of the food retail industry diminishes the standing of any individual customer. The revenue generated by any particular consumer is minimal, but collectively they represent wider consumer interests and retailers cannot afford to disregard the sensitivities of buyers. Price and convenience are two central concerns however they are not necessarily the principle factors. A rise in health consciousness has driven a growing demand for nutritional quality in food products. The culture of convenience now faces the challenge of a counter-trend in which a shift back towards fresh, simple or traditionally prepared foods undermines the retail position of frozen foods and similar products. The emergence and development of ethical niches adds further momentum to this movement within the industry. The response of food retailers must accommodate such diverse interests. A number of retailers operate incentive schemes for frequent shoppers and this can help secure customer retention. By discouraging movement across retail outlets, consumer mobility is reduced and, in the long term, buyer power can be weakened. Although high brand recognition does not automatically translate into consumer loyalty, if it is supported by a product range in which popular food products are central, the retailer can Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 15 FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS often draw indirectly on the loyalty base that manufacturers have established. Specialty, luxury or organic retailers can, due to the high level of product differentiation, justify price levels that would otherwise be unsustainable yet the limited volume of consumers places restraints on the power of such players. Buyer power overall is moderate. Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 16 FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS Supplier power Figure 6: Drivers of supplier power in the food retail industry in Europe, 2009 Source: Datamonitor DATAMONITOR Suppliers to the food retail industry include food manufacturers, farmers, and agricultural co-operatives. In order to ensure stability and offset the dangers of local sourcing problems or price fluctuations, large retail companies often maintain relationships with a wide range of suppliers. This diffuses dependency, minimizing the risks to retailers and strengthening their standing in relation to their suppliers. Long term contractual obligations are avoided where possible, and switching costs kept to a minimum. With a firm hold on key distribution channels, the leading retailers can dominate negotiations with certain suppliers. This is often difficult for smaller retailers such as specialist, luxury or organic outlets. The limited number of suppliers in niche areas and the centrality of product quality or preparation type limit’s the available range of sourcing options. With switching costs subsequently higher, the balance of power shifts somewhat from smaller retailers to specialist suppliers. Whilst the need to satisfy consumer demand for popular products bolsters manufacturers, many others face the problem of a high degree of retailer mobility as they switch suppliers in accordance with pricing pressures. The position of many large retail companies has also been strengthened internally with a surge of own brand products sidelining certain suppliers. Suppliers who are able to differentiate their product can wield some power over retailers, should their product be popular with the end consumer. Supplier power overall is moderate. Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 17 FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS New entrants Figure 7: Factors influencing the likelihood of new entrants in the food retail industry in Europe, 2009 Source: Datamonitor DATAMONITOR Large-scale, established retailers hold a natural advantage in operating businesses that benefit significantly from economies of scale, employing aggressive pricing schemes that cannot be matched by smaller retailers. Strong branding exercises and fast paced expansion deepen this asymmetry. Nevertheless, large retailers are not invulnerable to the threat of new entrants. Exit and entry costs within the industry are relatively low, encouraging potential entrants. The rapid growth of health consciousness and a swell of ethical goods form attractive avenues for new entrants seeking to move into a niche area that offers inbuilt protection from pricing pressures and mainstream marketing. Given the presence of many large-scale retailers, and the security of heavy branding, direct head-to-head competition is extremely difficult for new retailers. Strong growth makes the market attractive to prospective new entrants. Overall, the threat of new entrants is moderate. Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 18 FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS Substitutes Figure 8: Factors influencing the threat of substitutes in the food retail industry in Europe, 2009 Source: Datamonitor DATAMONITOR The chief alternative to food retail is food service. Supported by strong marketing campaigns in the case of fast food companies, and cultural traditions with respect to sit-down restaurants, both types represent a relevant alternative for many consumers. However, for the vast majority of people, these accompany food retail rather than replace it. A more direct substitute is found in subsistence agriculture in which individuals or families farm food to provide for their own personal needs. This is no longer common, however, since the emergence of market capitalism and the impact of this substitute on food retail is fractional. Environmental concerns, increasing health consciousness, and fears over political or economic instability may, in the long term, give this substitute a more significant role. However, it is unlikely to threaten food retailers in the foreseeable future being both labor intensive and often involving considerable start-up capital. The threat from substitutes is weak to moderate. Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 19 FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS Rivalry Figure 9: Drivers of degree of rivalry in the food retail industry in Europe, 2009 Source: Datamonitor DATAMONITOR Competition is often fierce within the food retail industry. The lack of substantial switching costs for consumers places pressure on retailers to secure their custom and loyalty. The limited level of differentiation across the basic product range pushes larger retailers into competitive pricing policies. The close similarity of players increases rivalry as they attempt to differentiate themselves through products and price to attract customers. Whilst some companies operate in other industries and can absorb the temporary impact of declining food sales, or high supply prices, for many, ood retail lies at the heart of the business. This basic dependency gives rise to aggressive competition. Rivalry is strong overall. Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 20 LEADING COMPANIES LEADING COMPANIES Metro AG Table 4: Metro AG: key facts Schluterstrasse 1, 40235 Dusseldorf, DEU 49 211 6886 4252 49 211 6886 2001 www. metrogroup. de December MEO G Frankfurt DATAMONITOR Head office: Telephone: Fax: Website: Financial year-end: Ticker: Stock exchange: Source: company website Metro Group (Metro) is a German trade and retail company organized into independent sales divisions. The group operates 2,195 outlets with approximately 12,350,000 square meters of selling space. It has a presence in 33 countries in Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa. The company employs around 300,000 people. Metro operates in four business segments: Metro Cash & Carry, Real, Media Markt and Saturn and Galeria Kaufhof. Metro Cash & Carry is engaged in cash and carry wholesaling. Operating under the brands of Metro and Makro, it is the group's biggest sales division. Metro Cash & Carry's assortment of products is aimed at commercial and wholesale customers. It operates 665 stores in 30 countries. Real offers a range of food products and an assortment of non-food items. The selling space of the Real stores ranges from 5,000 to 15,000 square meters, with store assortments including up to 80,000 items. Real is based on a large-format hypermarket concept and operates 333 hypermarkets in Germany and 108 stores in Poland, Romania, Russia, Turkey and the Ukraine. Media Markt and Saturn sell consumer electronics across Europe. Galeria Kaufhof operates a chain of department stores in Germany and Belgium. The department stores offer modern lifestyle apparels for men and women and are present in shopping areas and downtown centers. Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 21 LEADING COMPANIES In addition to these divisions, Metro provides real estate management services through its subsidiary, Metro Group Asset Management. The company oversees more than 750 properties totaling eight million square meters of commercial space worldwide. It also operates more than 70 shopping centers. Key Metrics The company recorded revenues of $91,119 million in the fiscal year ending December 2009, a decrease of 3. 6% compared to fiscal 2008. Its net income was $722 million in fiscal 2009, compared to a net income of $776 million in the preceding year. Table 5: $ million Metro AG: key financials ($) 2005 77,482. 1 902. 4 40,000. 8 32,613. 0 246,875 2006 83,266. 6 1,658. 9 44,702. 2 36,293. 7 263,794 2007 89,461. 3 1,366. 9 47,099. 4 38,048. 6 275,520 2008 94,493. 6 775. 9 47,034. 0 38,941. 3 290,940 2009 91,118. 8 721. 7 46,814. 3 46,814. 286,091 Revenues Net income (loss) Total assets Total liabilities Employees Source: company filings DATAMONITOR Table 6: â‚ ¬ million Metro AG: key financials (â‚ ¬) 2005 55,722. 0 649. 0 28,767. 0 23,454. 0 2006 59,882. 0 1,193. 0 32,148. 0 26,101. 0 2007 64,337. 0 983. 0 33,872. 0 27,363. 0 2008 67,956. 0 558. 0 33,825. 0 28,005. 0 2009 65,529. 0 519. 0 33,667. 0 33,667. 0 Revenues Net in come (loss) Total assets Total liabilities Source: company filings DATAMONITOR Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 22 LEADING COMPANIES Table 7: Ratio Metro AG: key financial ratios 2005 1. 2% 4. 2% 1. 5% (0. 2%) 81. 5% 2. 3% $313,851 $3,655 2006 2. 0% 7. 5% 11. 8% 11. 3% 81. 2% 3. 9% $315,650 $6,289 2007 1. 5% 7. 4% 5. 4% 4. 8% 80. 8% 3. 0% $324,700 $4,961 2008 0. 8% 5. 6% (0. 1%) 2. 3% 82. 8% 1. 6% $324,787 $2,667 2009 0. 8% (3. 6%) (0. 5%) 20. 2% 100. 0% 1. 5% $318,496 $2,523 Profit margin Revenue growth Asset growth Liabilities growth Debt/asset ratio Return on assets Revenue per employee Profit per employee Source: company filings DATAMONITOR Figure 10: Metro AG: revenues & profitability Source: company filings DATAMONITOR Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 23 LEADING COMPANIES Figure 11: Metro AG: assets & liabilities Source: company filings DATAMONITOR Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 24 LEADING COMPANIES Carrefour S. A. Table 8: Carrefour S. A. : key facts 26 quai Michele, TSA 20016, 92695 Levallois-Perret Cedex, FRA 33 1 55 63 39 00 www. carrefour. com December CA Paris DATAMONITOR Head office: Telephone: Website: Financial year-end: Ticker: Stock exchange: Source: company website Carrefour is one of the leading grocery and consumer goods distribution groups in the world. The group operates more than 15,000 stores. Carrefour's primary grocery formats includes hypermarkets, supermarkets, hard discount and convenience stores. Carrefour primarily organizes its business segments based on geographic presence: France; Europe excluding France; Asia; and Latin America. In addition, the group's business operation can be segmented on the basis of its store formats (as mentioned in the previous paragraph). Carrefour is the leading hypermarket retailer in the world. The group operates about 1,302 hypermarket stores across the world, of which 228 hypermarkets are in France, 494 in European countries outside France, 288 in Latin America, and 292 in Asia. In Brazil, the group operates its hypermarket business under the Atacadao brand name; these hypermarkets offer a range of competitively priced companyowned and branded products in both food and non-food categories. In addition, the hypermarkets also offer services like insurance, financial services, home computer support, travel and entertainment reservations and mobile phones. The group operates approximately 2,919 supermarket stores in 11 countries under the banners Carrefour Express, Carrefour market, GB, GS and Champion. The supermarkets offer a wide selection of mostly food products and some non-food products related to apparel, culture and leisure, and tableware. Carrefour's hard discount segment, Dia, operates about 6,252 hard discount stores in Spain, France (under Ed and Dia brands), Portugal (under Minipreco brand), Greece, Turkey, Argentina, Brazil and China. The group's hard discount stores offer a range of food, basic health, and cleaning products at discounted rates. Europe – Food Retail Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 25 LEADING COMPANIES The group's other activities comprise convenience stores, cash and carry foodservice stores, and ecommerce retail format. Carrefour operates about 4,813 convenience stores and 144 cash and carry stores. Convenience stor es are mainly operated by the franchisees under the banners Marche Plus, Shopi, 8 a Huit and Proxi in France; DiperDi in Italy; Carrefour Express and Carrefour GB in Belgium; Carrefour 5 Minut stores in Poland; Carrefour City stores in Spain; and Carrefour Convenient Buy in Thailand. These stores primarily offer a wide selection of food products; these also offer a range of services such as home delivery, dry cleaning, 48-hour photo development, ticket distribution, photocopying, stamps and newspapers. Cash and carry foodservice stores provide wholesale and retail self-service mainly intended for businesses. Carrefour operates cash and carry foodservice stores under the trade name Promocash. Most of the cash and carry stores are operated by franchisees. In addition to the above mentioned store formats, Carrefour also sells its products through various ecommerce websites. Carrefour operates an online grocery store, Ooshop, a leading French online supermarket in terms of sales. It allows customers to shop on the Internet, and select from product listings including fresh and frozen items, at the same price as they would pay in Carrefour's hypermarkets, with the added benefit of home delivery. Carrefour France hypermarket's non-food website, CarrefourOnline. com, offers products such as leisure products (DVDs, games, software, music, books and more), audio and video, household electrical goods, as well as music downloads and even flower and bicycle delivery. Carrefour. es, the group's e-commerce website in Spain, offers both food and non-food products. Key Metrics The company recorded revenues of $119,533 million in the fiscal year ending December 2009, a decrease of 2. 6% compared to fiscal 2008. Its net income was $608 million in fiscal 2009, compared to a net income of $2,140 million in the preceding year. Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 26 LEADING COMPANIES Table 9: $ million Carrefour S. A. : key financials ($) 2005 116,399. 7 2,199. 8 64,311. 1 51,259. 436,474 2006 121,561. 3 3,381. 2 66,093. 8 48,356. 4 456,295 2007 128,305. 2 3,447. 4 72,212. 0 57,385. 0 490,042 2008 122,678. 1 2,139. 7 72,420. 6 57,191. 7 495,000 2009 119,532. 5 607. 7 71,685. 0 56,229. 5 495,000 Revenues Net income (loss) Total assets Total liabilities Employees Source: company filings DATAMONITOR Table 10: â‚ ¬ million Carrefour S. A. : key fi nancials (â‚ ¬) 2005 83,710. 0 1,582. 0 46,250. 0 36,864. 0 2006 87,422. 0 2,431. 6 47,532. 0 34,776. 0 2007 92,272. 0 2,479. 2 51,932. 0 41,269. 0 2008 88,225. 2 1,538. 8 52,082. 0 41,130. 0 2009 85,963. 0 437. 0 51,553. 0 40,438. 0 Revenues Net income (loss) Total assets Total liabilities Source: company filings DATAMONITOR Table 11: Ratio Carrefour S. A. : key financial ratios 2005 1. 9% 2. 8% 9. 4% 7. 5% 79. 7% 3. 6% $266,682 $5,040 2006 2. 8% 4. 4% 2. 8% (5. 7%) 73. 2% 5. 2% $266,409 $7,410 2007 2. 7% 5. 5% 9. 3% 18. 7% 79. 5% 5. 0% $261,825 $7,035 2008 1. 7% (4. 4%) 0. 3% (0. 3%) 79. 0% 3. 0% $247,835 $4,323 2009 0. 5% (2. 6%) (1. 0%) (1. 7%) 78. 4% 0. 8% $241,480 $1,228 Profit margin Revenue growth Asset growth Liabilities growth Debt/asset ratio Return on assets Revenue per employee Profit per employee Source: company filings DATAMONITOR Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 27 LEADING COMPANIES Figure 12: Carrefour S. A. : revenues & profitability Source: company filings DATAMONITOR Figure 13: Carrefour S. A. : assets & liabilities Source: company filings DATAMONITOR Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 28 LEADING COMPANIES Lidl Dienstleistung Table 12: Lidl Dienstleistung: key facts Rotelstrasse 30, 74166 Neckarsulm, DEU 49 732 30 6060 www. idl. de December DATAMONITOR Head office: Telephone: Website: Financial year-end: Source: company website Lidl & Schwarz Stiftung (Lidl) operates a chain of grocery stores. The company primarily operates in Europe. Lidl operates about 6,800 deep-discount department stores and no-frills Lidl supermarkets throughout Europe. In Germany it operates about 3,100 stores. The company offers about 800 different products in its stores mostly under Lidl's own brand. These include dairy products, frozen foods, sausages, fresh meat and poultry, fruit and veg delivered fresh every day, and a range of breads. Lidl is also expanding its presence into Denmark, Hungary, Norway, and Slovenia. Key Metrics Financial information for this company is unavailable. Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 29 LEADING COMPANIES Tesco PLC Table 13: Head office: Telephone: Website: Financial year-end: Ticker: Stock exchange: Source: company website Tesco PLC: key facts New Tesco House, Delamare Road, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, EN8 9SL, GBR 44 1992 632 222 www. tescoplc. com February TSCO London DATAMONITOR Tesco is a leading food and grocery retailer. The company operates 4,331 stores in 14 countries worldwide. It operates in the UK, other European countries, the US and Asia. The company operates in a single segment: retail. However, Tesco's operations can be examined by the store formats operated by it: Express, Metro, Superstore, Extra and Homeplus. The company has over 960 Express stores (up to 3,000 sq ft) offering fresh food at convenient locations. These stores sell a range of up to 7,000 products including fresh produce, wines and spirits and bakery products. The company has over 170 Metro stores (approximately 7,000-15,000 sq ft) in town and city centre locations. It offers a tailored range of food products including ready-meals and sandwiches. Tesco operates about 450 superstores (approximately 20,000-50,000 sq ft) at which it offers food as well non-food products such as DVDs and books. Tesco's Homeplus stores (approx. 35,000-50,000 sq ft) are dedicated to non-food including clothing. Tesco has more than 175 Extra stores (approximately 60,000 sq ft and above) which offer a variety of food and non-food product lines ranging from electrical equipment to homewares, clothing, health and beauty, and seasonal items such as garden furniture. Additionally, about 115 Extra and Homeplus stores have opticians and around 270 of them have pharmacies. In addition to stores, Tesco offers retailing services through its online shopping channels, tesco. com and Tesco Direct. The company also provides broadband internet connections (Tesco broadband) and telecommunications services (Tesco Mobile and Home Phone) through a 50-50 joint venture with O2, a mobile phone company. Tesco also provides financial services through Tesco Personal Finance (TPF) which offers a choice of 28 products ranging from savings accounts and credit cards to car and travel insurance. All its financial products are also available for online purchase. Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 30 LEADING COMPANIES Key Metrics The company recorded revenues of $84,676 million in the fiscal year ending February 2009, an increase of 14. 9% compared to fiscal 2008. Its net income was $3,376 million in fiscal 2009, compared to a net income of $3,320 million in the preceding year. Table 14: $ million Tesco PLC: key financials ($) 2005 57,602. 2 3,042. 4 31,811. 6 17,695. 242,980 2006 67,234. 5 3,553. 7 35,167. 3 20,447. 6 273,024 2007 66,461. 4 2,959. 8 38,664. 9 22,188. 6 318,283 2008 73,720. 0 3,319. 9 47,014. 4 28,463. 7 345,737 2009 84,675. 6 3,376. 0 71,779. 5 52,460. 3 364,015 Revenues Net income (loss) Total assets Total liabilities Employees Source: company filings DATAMONITOR Table 15: ? million Tesco PLC: key financials (? ) 2005 36,957. 0 1,952. 0 20,410. 0 11,353. 0 2006 43,137. 0 2,280. 0 22,563. 0 13,119. 0 2007 42,641. 0 1,899. 0 24,807. 0 14,236. 0 2008 47,298. 0 2,130. 0 30,164. 0 18,262. 0 2009 54,327. 0 2,166. 46,053. 0 33,658. 0 Revenues Net income (loss) Total assets Total liabilities Source: company filings DATAMONITOR Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 31 LEADING COMPANIES Table 16: Ratio Tesco PLC: key financial ratios 2005 5. 3% 10. 1% 10. 9% 6. 4% 55. 6% 10. 1% $237,066 $12,521 2006 5. 3% 16. 7% 10. 5% 15. 6% 58. 1% 10. 6% $246,259 $13,016 2007 4. 5% (1. 1%) 9. 9% 8. 5% 57. 4% 8. 0% $208,812 $9,299 2008 4. 5% 10. 9% 21. 6% 28. 3% 60. 5% 7. 7% $213,226 $9,602 2009 4. % 14. 9% 52. 7% 84. 3% 73. 1% 5. 7% $232,616 $9,274 Profit margin Revenue growth Asset growth Liabilities growth Debt/asset ratio Return on assets Revenue per employee Profit per employee Source: company filings DATAMONITOR Figure 14: Tesco PLC: re venues & profitability Source: company filings DATAMONITOR Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 32 LEADING COMPANIES Figure 15: Tesco PLC: assets & liabilities Source: company filings DATAMONITOR Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 33 MARKET FORECASTS MARKET FORECASTS Market value forecast In 2014, the European food retail industry is forecast to have a value of $2,477. 4 billion, an increase of 49% since 2009. The compound annual growth rate of the industry in the period 2009–14 is predicted to be 8. 3%. Table 17: Year 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 CAGR: 2009–14 Source: Datamonitor Europe food retail industry value forecast: $ billion, 2009–14 $ billion 1,663. 1 1,811. 4 1,978. 0 2,161. 3 2,359. 7 2,477. â‚ ¬ billion 1,196. 1 1,302. 7 1,422. 5 1,554. 3 1,697. 0 1,781. 6 % Growth 8. 5% 8. 9% 9. 2% 9. 3% 9. 2% 5. 0% 8. 3% DATAMONITOR Figure 16: Europe food retail industry value forecast: $ billion, 2009–14 Source: Datamonitor DATAMONITOR Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Pag e 34 APPENDIX APPENDIX Methodology Datamonitor Industry Profiles draw on extensive primary and secondary research, all aggregated, analyzed, cross-checked and presented in a consistent and accessible style. Review of in-house databases – Created using 250,000+ industry interviews and consumer surveys and supported by analysis from industry experts using highly complex modeling & forecasting tools, Datamonitor’s in-house databases provide the foundation for all related industry profiles Preparatory research – We also maintain extensive in-house databases of news, analyst commentary, company profiles and macroeconomic & demographic information, which enable our researchers to build an accurate market overview Definitions – Market definitions are standardized to allow comparison from country to country. The parameters of each definition are carefully reviewed at the start of the research process to ensure they match the requirements of both the market and our clients Extensive secondary research activities ensure we are always fully up-to-date with the latest industry events and trends Datamonitor aggregates and analyzes a number of secondary information sources, including: National/Governmental statistics International data (official international sources) National and International trade associations Broker and analyst reports Company Annual Reports Business information libraries and databases Modeling & forecasting tools – Datamonitor has developed powerful tools that allow quantitative and qualitative data to be combined with related macroeconomic and demographic drivers to create market models and forecasts, which can then be refined according to specific competitive, regulatory and demand-related factors Continuous quality control ensures that our processes and profiles remain focused, accurate and up-to-date Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 35 APPENDIX Industry associations Global Food Marketing Institute 655 15th Street, NW, Washington DC, 20005 Tel. : 001 202 452 8444 Fax: 001 202 429 4519 www. fmi. org/ CIES — The Food Business Forum 7, rue de Madrid 75008 Paris FRANCE Tel. : 0033 1 4469 8484 Fax: 0033 1 4469 9939 www. ciesnet. com EuroCommerce Avenue des Nerviens 9-31, B-1040 Brussels, Belgium Tel. : 0032 2 737 0598 Fax: 0032 2 230 0078 www. eurocommerce. be Related Datamonitor research Industry Profile Food Retail in Western Europe Food Retail in Asia-Pacific Food Retail in the US Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 36 APPENDIX Disclaimer All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, Datamonitor plc. The facts of this report are believed to be correct at the time of publication but cannot be guaranteed. Please note that the findings, conclusions and recommendations that Datamonitor delivers will be based on information gathered in good faith from both primary and secondary sources, whose accuracy we are not always in a position to guarantee. As such Datamonitor can accept no liability whatever for actions taken based on any information that may subsequently prove to be incorrect. Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 37 ABOUT DATAMONITOR ABOUT DATAMONITOR The Datamonitor Group is a world-leading provider of premium global business information, delivering independent data, analysis and opinion across the Automotive, Consumer Markets, Energy & Utilities, Financial Services, Logistics & Express, Pharmaceutical & Healthcare, Retail, Technology and Telecoms industries. Combining our industry knowledge and experience, we assist over 6,000 of the world’s leading companies in making better strategic and operational decisions. Delivered online via our user-friendly web platforms, our market intelligence products and services ensure that you will achieve your desired commercial goals by giving you the insight you need to best respond to your competitive environment. Premium Reports Datamonitor's premium reports are based on primary research with industry panels and consumers. We gather information on market segmentation, market growth and pricing, competitors and products. Our experts then interpret this data to produce detailed forecasts and actionable recommendations, helping you create new business opportunities and ideas. Summary Reports Our series of company, industry and country profiles complements our premium products, providing top-level information on 30,000 companies, 3,000 industries and 100 countries. While they do not contain the highly detailed breakdowns found in premium reports, profiles give you the most important qualitative and quantitative summary information you need – including predictions and forecasts. Datamonitor consulting We hope that the data and analysis in this profile will help you make informed and imaginative business decisions. If you have further requirements, Datamonitor’s consulting team may be able to help you. For more information about Datamonitor’s consulting capabilities, please contact us directly at [email  protected] com. Europe – Food Retail  © Datamonitor. This profile is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 0201 – 2058 – 2009 Page 38

NFC technology Essay

‡ The NFC Forum has identified three basic use cases for NFC: connection, access, and transactions. All three have application in transport. ‡ Public transport requires infrastructure for NFC Ticketing + NFC Payment ‡ Transportation Uses: Í » Pay Parking fee Í » Purchasing fuels Í » Links to an up-to-date weather report website Í » Location-relevant map Í » Special discounted travel offers Í » Next bus/train arrival time Í » Taxi services Í » Emergency calls Ease of use: This criterion refers to Ížthe degree to which a person believes that using a particular system would be free of effortÍŸ ‡ Cost: It regroups direct costs (e.g. cost of the technology, cost of implementation) and indirect costs (e.g. infrastructure operation and maintenance). ‡ Reliability: The purchase process should be flawless as it involves a financial transaction. ‡ User/Market Acceptance: This criterion represent the degree to which the user and the different stakeholders are already consenting to accept a technology for payments.  Ã‚‡ Security: Implicit security features (e.g. embedded encryption) and ease of securing the technology.  Ã‚‡ Flexibility: Degree to which the technology can be adapted in many different applications. ‡ Maturity: Development state of the technology. ‡ Speed: Implicit speed of the technology for payments. ‡ Scalability: Ability to grow. Usability in small and large environment. ‡ Upcoming Bluetooth 4.0 low energy protocol will be consuming even lower power than NFC as of now. ‡ NFC alone does not ensure secure communications is vulnerable to data modifications. Advantages over Bluetooth ‡ Almost instant connection (around 1/10 seconds) in comparison to pairing procedure of Bluetooth. ‡ Low power consumption and could work (alternatively) even when one of the device is powerless . ‡ NFC is compatible with existing passive RFID (13.56 MHz ISO/IEC 18000-3) infrastructures. ‡ Shorter range makes it suitable for crowded area with high interferences.

Why were the Bolsheviks able to take power in October 1917

There are many factors that allowed to Bolsheviks to take power in October 1917 such as the growing unpopularity of the Provisional Government at the time. Moreover, events such as the July days and the return of Lenin and Trotsky. The Bolshevik slogans â€Å"Bread, Land and Peace† and â€Å"All Power to the Soviets† also sum up the other major factors to their rise. The Provisional Government was becoming increasingly unpopular.They had failed to end the war and were blamed for food shortages and rising prices. Also, the Russian people were unable to choose their own government as the Provisional Government had not held elections which had displeased most people of Russia. The Bolsheviks took advantage of the unpopularity of the Provisional Government and increased its support. Its slogan â€Å"Bread, Land and Peace† was a really attractive offer to the Russian people. The â€Å"Bread† issue was not being solved by the government, but the Bolsheviks promi sed that they would deal with it.Lenin promised to provide the people with sufficient food, and the starving population turned to him for help. Furthermore, most peasants were furious with the government and the landowners for not giving the peasants a chance to earn their own money with their own land. Lenin, in accordance with the communist ideology, promised that the landowners' property would be split up and distributed equally, naturally attracting mass support from the majority of the population. In addition, the slogan ‘Peace' was the most ppealed out of the 3 by the Russian people.Almost everybody wanted the war to stop, as it continued for so long. The devastated economy and dwindling food supplies were all caused by the war, and people wished to return to their old lives. Lenin knew this and aptly used this as a slogan for his campaign. Being the only party which constantly opposed the continuation of the war, the Bolsheviks attracted many supporters. Additionally, t he leadership of Lenin was another factor that allowed the Bolsheviks to take power. Lenin was a dedicated, determined and skilled leader.He motivated his party and, through agitation and propaganda, the Bolsheviks became very popular in the army and in the factories. The leadership of the party was loyal to Lenin, and they followed his orders with conviction. The party had a proficient propaganda machine, producing newspapers, banners, posters and setting up recruitment drives in the army and factories. Lenin promised to bring an end to the war, to give land to peasants, to give workers control of factories, to take control of he banks and to give power to soviets of workers and soldiers set up throughout Russia.During the July Days, a political crisis erupted as soldiers in Petrograd refused to go to the front and sailors Joined the workers in anti-government demonstrations. These people were mostly Bolshevik supporters, and these riots were no doubt sparked off by party instigato rs. However, they were delivered a crushing defeat when the government managed to suppress the demonstrations and arrested a few leading Bolsheviks. Lenin himself was shot twice in the chest from close range, but urvived to escape to Finland.However, this event emphasises that the Bolsheviks Bolsheviks were able to take power in October 1917 because of Lenin's outstanding speaking skills and use of propaganda. Equally because of the state Russia was in during 1917 with shortage of food, and the need to end the war. The Bolsheviks were the only party that opposed the continuation of the war – which the majority of the Russian population wanted – promising to give the people of Russia what they urgently needed at the time, â€Å"Bread, Land and Peace†.

Bolton Thermal Recovery Facility Case Study Essay - 1

Bolton Thermal Recovery Facility Case Study - Essay Example The waste material in itself is a mixture of trade, commercial and domestic wastes, and items that have been confiscated from customs and police departments. Also, the facilities and equipment that are fit and used in Bolton Thermal Recovery Facility heighten the need to consider the legal implications of BTRF. This state above especially due to the fact that by the magnitude of the equipment and facilities that are found in BTRF directly and readily warrants the need to factor environmental and economic implications in BTRF’s existence and operations. Among these facilities, materials and equipment are: an incinerator that has the capacity to burn municipal waste at about 16 tonnes per hour; the waste types that are collected and transported to the site; a large and deep reception pit; supplementary oil fired burners which ensure that temperature does not fall below 8500 C at all times; heat recovery boiler; a gas stream; filters; and international catering wastes. The BTFR h as also had total operational hours that run up to 6,793. This means that Bolton Thermal Recovery Facility is a busy site which must be guided by proper safety regulations which are founded upon environmental, economic and legal concerns. Because of this, the need to consider or craft policies that define legal, economic and environmental concerns of a plant as large as the Bolton Thermal Recovery Facility is paramount. As a consultant, it is therefore necessary to divulge details on legal liabilities that may arise from the environmental impacts of operating Bolton Thermal Recovery Facility and the necessary measures that need to be taken to ensure compliance with relevant consents. 1. The Policy, Environmental and Economic Drivers for the Development and Operation of the Facility The economic drivers for the development and operation of Bolton Thermal Recovery Facility are far reaching and should thus be seriously taken into consideration. For one, BTRF is run by Europe’s l argest public waste contract which is the Greater Manchester deal, which in turn costs 3.8 pounds. BTRF also deals with an array of numerous materials and energy recovery facilities, as previously mentioned. The fact that BTRF also has to combine RDF production processes and MBT-AD technological processes further stresses the magnitude of BTRF’s economic significance. Bedeyore (2010) points out that it is also important to consider the fact that the economic significance of BTRF dares back to 2009 when it was signed as a landmark agreement, to bring about an international waste management industry. The bid to help divert 75% of wastes from landfills in the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority (GMWDA) led to the signing of Recycling and waste Management Contract with Viridor Laing Greater Manchester Limited. Following this, this contract houses over 30 facilities such as Material Recovery Facilities (MRF), transfer stations, Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plants, composting f acilities and thermal recovery Waste to Energy (WTE) facilities. All these facilities have been refurbished or built afresh. That BTFR is

American History Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

American History - Research Paper Example o operate by a bottom-up philosophy by federally job creation and welfare benefits therefore forming a social affiliation with working class persons including labor unions and racial minorities or by deregulating businesses to supposedly allow them freedom to correct the economy by expanding thus producing more jobs which would, in turn, force money back into the economy. Contrary to popular opinion, the nation was not moving in a socialist direction.   The New Deal represented the existing capitalist societal structure culture. For example, its policies continued the already wide division between what are thought of as ‘worthy poor,’ mostly widows and their kids and the ‘unworthy poor,’ which included almost everyone else, who were disregarded. The main goal of the New Deal was to rescue American capitalism. Roosevelt sought the backing of business leaders in the fulfilling this undertaking. Roosevelt told the business magnates who were against his policies at first that the New Deal was economic protection for the ‘farsighted conservative.’   Some historians maintain that Roosevelt initially intended the government’s involvement in rebuilding the economy to be limited.   His purpose of the New Deal was not to encourage a communal undertaking which communist or socialist governments employed in Europe.   He wanted neither big business interests nor the quickly budding labor unions to become a puppet of the government or the other way around. Roosevelt did not arrive at the New Deal strategies on independent analysis but as the result of the many forces surrounding him. The economic conditions at that desperate time demanded that the solutions promote positive relations between the working class an d capitalist class, each of whom had contrasting interests. Within the working class were differing interests as well. â€Å"While labor unions lobbied for employers’ liability laws, social reformers worked for maximum hours for women workers, minimum

Speaker responce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Speaker responce - Essay Example Some choice of words does not make particular insight particularly for the goods. Example the insight can be about milk and related foods on particular chosen goods. This can real be challenging in that the milk is of particularly used by all the consumers of that good hence this choice may lead to lose of customers. The mention of milk may actually change a particular behavior of the consumer simply because of the natural dislike of the milk by the individual due to social background and believes (Johanna 26). Time is also an important factor on a particular presentation. Time here refers to the period that the product is presented to the potential customers. This actually depends on the demand not necessarily considering the supply chain of the product. Presenting a highly demanded good in the market does not necessarily mean the quality of the product is not up to date but simply means that the product is not required due to the fall in demand due to factors such as climatic change, change of population and probably the time factor that is the actual determinant (Johanna 21). In a presentation, the audience needs to be understood properly. The audience will choose to listen to the presentation depending on the relevance of the topic being presented to them via the speaker. Lack of proper choice of the topic will make the audience get bored and hence the aim and the objective of the theme may not be met. This can be termed as waste of time and resources on that particular presentation (Johanna 20). Insight is actually a broad term that refers to a penetrating observation of consumer behaviour that can be used to determine the growth and development on the insightful meaning of product or service being rendered to the person. The minutes spend talking on the negative insight means loss of energy that could be used to do a more benefiting task that the particular one that has been already done (Johanna 61). A presentation does not require