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In 1973, the French government, in response to considerable pressure from small retailer interest groups, introduced legislation aimed at restricting the future growth of large area retail stores. The "Loi Royer" established a series of departmental planning commissions composed of retailer, locally elected, and consumer representatives. These commissions were given the power to authorise or reject planning applications for large retail units and extensions to existing stores, above certain size thresholds dependent upon the size of the commune in which development was to take place. The law allowed for an appeal procedure in which the Minister of Commerce and Crafts, advised by a national commission of similar composition, was the final arbiter. This thesis examines the impact of the "Loi Royer", with particular reference to hypermarket development in France. The spatial and structural growth of large stores, and large retail organisations is assessed, with case studies undertaken on the application of the law in the Brittany region, and the growth of the Carrefour group. The role and form of public policy in the retail sector in general is also considered. The composition of the commissions and proceedures established by the legislation provided considerable potential for influencing the development of large stores in France. However, whilst the legislation has had some short term and localised impact upon hypermarket development, in the long term, the restrictive effects of the law must be questioned. By exploiting various loopholes and failings in the legislation, hypermarket openings have continued, and the large retail groups have maintained their growth largely at the expense of the small retailer, whom the law was intended to protect. The legislation may also have indirectly encouraged numerous strategic adaptions, on the part of the larger retail organisations, which have served to further improve their position vis a vis smaller retailers, or introduced large retail groups into sectors traditionally dominated by independent traders.

"The purpose of this study is to find what information is available from secondary sources on retail trade areas and to assemble and analyze it so that the information will be of value to those interested in the economy of the area...the following general conclusions are drawn: 1. The Denton retail trade area is primarily agricultual. Indicators of this fact are so many and so definite that there is little doubt but that agriculture and the rural population of the area will affect, to a considerable extent all business activity. 2. In 1947, the Denton retail trade area was not highly industrialized. The trading center is not centrally located within the state of Texas, but several markets are a few miles away. A good supply of labor is available within the area. With the present trend toward decentralization of industry, these facts point toward an expansion of manufacturing in the trade area. 3. In 1948, retailing in the trade center and in the area as a whole indicates a strong retail trade center. 4. The fact that the retail trade center would be a good sampling area for companies introducing new products is indicated by the youth of the population of the center. 5. A good market for fashion goods is revealed by the large population of females in the area. 6. In 1948, wholesaling in the area had doubled in number and tripled its sales in the past ten years, and with the trend toward decentralization of industry the wholesale trade of the area should continue to increase."-- leaves 1,63.

by Koo Yee-yin, Irving. / Bibliography: leaf 59 / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1983

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