Governance in the Global Agro-food System: Backlighting the Role of Transnational Supermarket Chains

Abstract

With the proliferation of private standards many significant decisions regarding public health risks, food safety, and environmental impacts are increasingly taking place in the backstage of the global agro-food system. Using an analytical framework grounded in political economy, we explain the rise of private standards and specific actorsnotably supermarkets -in the restructuring of agro-food networks. We argue that the global, political-economic, capitalist transformation -globalization -is a transition from a Fordist regime to a regime of flexible accumulation (Harvey, 1989). We also argue that the standard making process of this new regulatory regime is increasingly moving from the front stage -where it is open to public debate and democratic decision-making bodies -to the backstagewhere it is dominated by large supermarket procurement offices. We assert that transnational supermarket chains are increasingly controlling what food is grown where, how, and by whom. We also contend that the decision-making processes of transnational supermarket chains are typically ''black-boxed.'' The Euro-Retailer Produce Working Group (EUREP) is presented as a case of private governance by transnational supermarket chains. We conclude by examining the limitations and long-term efficacy of a system of private governance in the global agro-food system. Jason Konefal is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Sociology at Michigan State University. His interests include environmental sociology, food and agriculture, social movements, and science and technology studies. His dissertation research examines the political economic restructuring of the global agrifood system and the implications for social and environmental movements.Michael Mascarenhas is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Sociology at Michigan State University. His interests include political economy, the sociology of science and technology, environmental and rural sociology, and globalization and development. His current research involves a critical analysis of neoliberal water policy reform and indigenous inequalities. As of September 2005, Michael has taken a position in the

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“…These documents were published in a wide range of study disciplines, with the highest number relating to food policy or food systems (20/68) . In addition, there were seven documents for each topic related to competition law , retailing and governance ; there were six sociology and political science studies ; there were four for each topic related to business , agriculture or agricultural economics and public health ; three documents were related to rural society or communities ; there were two marketing studies ; and there was one for each topic related to preventive medicine , international development , labour relations and geography .…”

“…Unsurprisingly, most documents (57/68) were written by an Australian first author . However, there were a number of documents published by authors from outside of Australia: five from Germany , three from the USA , two from the UK and one from France .…”

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The Marketing Implications of Value Chain Governance Strategies of Wine Products Using Geographical Indications (GIs) in Italy and UK

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