Edited by Paule Moustier et al., 2006 

MALICA (Markets and Livelihoods for Cities in Asia) and Making Markets Work Better for the Poor (M4P).

The rise of supermarkets has resulted in the most rapid and large scale change in food purchasing and production habits in human history. As Viet Nam's economy grows rapidly, becomes increasingly urbanized and integrates further into the global economy, supermarkets are playing an increasingly important role in food retailing systems, and exerting a significant impact upon food production and distribution systems.

As the majority of the poor are concentrated in rural areas, and rely on agriculture for the majority of their earnings, it is inevitable that changes to food production, distribution and retailing systems will have an impact on their livelihoods.

The poor also represent a major consumer bloc in Viet Nam. They spend a significantly higher proportion of their income on food than any other income group. Changes to distribution and retail systems for food have a strong potential to impact on them as consumers.

This book reports the results of the first large scale research into the impact of supermarkets in Viet Nam on the poor as consumers, traders and producers. The research has been conducted as a cooperative venture between the MALICA (Markets and Livelihoods for Cities in Asia) consortium and the Making Markets Work Better for the Poor (M4P) project.

Available for download here [1]