Global Trading

This book deals with the changing manufacturer-retailer relationship, which has evolved as a consequence of developments in retailing and their influence on the market for consumer goods. This restructuring of market dynamics, along with the increasing globalization of business transactions, poses a challenge to the traditional legal analysis of retailer-manufacturer relationships. The trend towards retailer internationalization has put pressure on suppliers to negotiate with retailers at the international level rather than solely at individual national levels. As retailers' interests become more global and they demand that their operations adopt a global focus, there will be an increasing demand for global supply contracts. This book focuses on one feature of the changing relationship between retailers and manufacturers: the use of global prices, terms and contracts, which are generally seen to be a manifestation of increased retailer power. The aim is to identify the legal consequences of replacing a series of nationally-based supply contracts with one multinational or global arrangement. This book is particularly relevant in light of recent news articles on mega-retailers, such as Wal-Mart.