Canada’s retail environment, particularly in the grocery business, has been especially dynamic in recent years. Provide responses to the following questions:
a. Using the Five Creatures Lesson framework, identify the creature type for any two competitors in Canada’s grocery business.
Provide a brief rationale for your answer.
b. What is the 2009-14 compound annual growth rate in retail sales for convenience stores and hypermarkets?
c. Is there any evidence of Appadurai’s flows at work in the ethnic grocery sector?
List and briefly explain two examples.
d. There are regional differences in tastes, preferences, and shopping behaviors amongst Canadian grocery customers. How might consumer cultural positioning, cultural convergence, product standardization v. adaptation, or some other factor explain these differences?
List and briefly explain the role of any two factors.
e. How would you interpret the market’s contrasting appetites for premium products and pricing from Wal-Mart versus Whole Foods?
List and briefly explain two points.
For this question, you should take into account each company’s market space and nearest competitors.
Special notes:
• Suggested length: Up to 2-3 pages (single spacing)
• You may consult additional resources, if you wish, to develop a strong(er) answer.
Be sure that you cite any sources (APA style).