AP2EM6-Food Retail Marketing

Module Provider: School of Agriculture, Policy and Development
Number of credits: 10 [5 ECTS credits]
Level:5
Terms in which taught: Autumn term module
Pre-requisites: AP1EM2 The Fundamentals of Business and Marketing or AP1EM1 Introduction to Marketing
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Dr Giuseppe Nocella
Email: g.nocella@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module examines the development of food retailing in the UK during the past century in order to understand the role food retailers play within supply chains and how food retailers respond to contemporary issues of our society. In this module you will learn about the nature and dynamics of food retailers in their competitive environment and about strategies that major businesses employ to achieve their marketing objectives.  

Aims:

UK food retailers have been evolving continuously to meet the needs and wants of their customers and to respond to contemporary issues in our society. This module is intended to introduce students to understand the development of food retailing in the UK during the past century analysing how the major food retailers have influenced the food industry as a whole. Reviewing some of the recent food trends and issues students will explore key aspects of the food retailing sector such as organisation and formats, they will learn about the competitive environment in which food retailers operate and they will examine analytical techniques used to assess food retailers competitiveness, their marketing strategies and how food retailers manage the supply chain and information to achieve logistical ef?ciency.

Assessable learning outcomes:

By the end of this module students should be able to:

• get a snapshot of food retailing during the last two centuries analysing factors that have shaped its transformation;


• appreciate the contribution of retail evolution theories to the understanding of historical retail development and their usefulness in the prediction of future retail developments;


• become familiare with the structure and logistics of ‘typical’ food retail supply chains;


• recognize the wide variations of food retail organizations in terms of ownership, product and orientation (store and non-store-based types);


• appreciate key trends of the UK grocery market and the complexity of retailing as a socio-economic activity;


• understand the nature and dynamics of retail grocery competition and explore various ways and frameworks of analysis in which retail grocery competition can be measured;


• recognize the role of retailing within the consumer decision-making process;


• understand the meaning of strategy and the difference between corporate, business and functional strategies in retailing;


• understand the strategic planning process and its components and evaluate the various growth strategies available to food retailers;


• understand what is meant by a retail mix and its role in developing positioning strategies;


• appreciate the way in which logistics support the objectives of retail activity and the importance of controlling supply-chain costs;


• understand the enabling role of information technology in retail supply chains.

Additional outcomes:

• To demonstrate communication and debating skills on marketing strategies that UK food retailers put in place to tackle contemporary issues of our society.


• To conduct secondary research to develop a business report for a selected UK food retailer.

Outline content:

This module consists of both lectures and seminars to address the learning outcomes. For the seminars students will work in small groups and are required to prepare a short presentation on topics related to how the food retailing sector responds to selected contemporary issues of our society.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures	14
Work-based learning	6
Guided independent study:
Wider reading (independent)	15
Wider reading (directed)	15
Advance preparation for classes	20
Preparation for presentations	10
Group study tasks	10
Reflection	10
Total hours by term	100	0	0
Total hours for module	100

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	70
Oral assessment and presentation	30

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

1. A small group presentation on a chosen topic regarding food retailing such as animal welfare, organic foods, food waste, online shopping, loyalty, sustainability, fair trade, plastic packaging, convenience, innovation, 'food on the go', farm shops and farmers markets and so on (30% of the module mark).


2. A business report reviewing the outlook for a food retailer (70% of the module mark).

Formative assessment methods:

Penalties for late submission:

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:

A mark of 40% overall.

Reassessment arrangements:

By re-examination only in August/September.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

1) Required text books: 

2) Specialist equipment or materials: 

3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear: 

4) Printing and binding: 

5) Computers and devices with a particular specification: 

6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence: 

Last updated: 30 March 2023