One of the most noticeable phenomena in the development of agri-business during the last 15 years has been the massive influx of capital in the retail sector. The development of modern forms of distribution has changed the relationships within the foodstuffs production and marketing chain ; in particular the control of the consumer market is still the subject of a permanent struggle between industrial and commercial capital, the consequences of which can be felt on the structures both of production and commerce as well as of consumption. The purpose of this article is to present some of these consequences.
