The food retailing sectors of the United States and Australia are large industries that are increasingly driven by consumer needs and wants. Both industries are changing to keep pace with social and economic developments. The premises are getting larger and one-stop shopping is becoming more common. The rationing of shelf spare has become an issue. Information technology is providing stores with better information on product movement and sales performance. There is a common movement away from city centres to affluent suburban centres. In Australia, the retailing industry is concentrated in fewer owners than in the US. Future research on retail concentration, trade with processors, and international competitiveness would be worthwhile.