GCSE Food and Nutrition
RETAIL OUTLETS
Learning Objectives
To learn about the range of retail outlets that you can
buy food from
To learn about the advantages and disadvantages of
using the different range of retail outlets
Retail Outlets
Retail outlets are shops, large and small
where consumers can buy food and
equipment that they need
to provide meals for their families
Hypermarkets
Sell wide
variety of
products
Special
trolleys and
wide isles
Competitive
prices
Everything
under one
roof
In-store
facilities
Free parking
Hypermarkets are larger
than supermarkets, often
found on the continent.
Disadvantages:
•Need a car
•May spend more money
•Takes a long time to walk
round
Supermarkets
The main supermarkets are:
Asda
Sainsbury
Morrisons
Tesco
Waitrose is a more expensive supermarket selling a
range of unusual food products.
Lidl and Aldi sell cheaper food products
Supermarket - advantages
Open
24
hours
Sell a wide
range of
brand
names and
value lines
Free
parking
Everything
under one
roof
Wide
aisles
Special trolleys
for babies and
elderly
Cash
Back
In-store
facilitie
s
Debit/credit
cards
Special
Offers
Self
service
checkouts
Bakery,
butcher, deli,
chemist
Supermarkets - disadvantages
• Can be difficult to find what you are looking for
• Long queues at peak times
• May be hard to get advice
• Encourages ‘impulse buying’
• Out of town shopping can lead to the decline of
high street shops
Specialist Shops - advantages
Wide choice of
a particular
type of food
Will sell small
portions
Good quality
Knowledgeable
staff who will
offer advice
Individual
service
Specialist Shops - disadvantages
 More expensive than supermarkets
 Limited opening times 9.00am – 5.00pm
 Parking may be difficult
 Takes time to go from shop to shop
Farmers’ Market
Fresh
local
produce
Lower
food miles
Organic
Advantages
Food
changes
with the
seasons
Free
Range
Farmers’ Market
May have
to travel
to get
there
Limited
range of
goods
Disadvantages
May only
happen
once a
month
More
expensive
Corner Shops
Local to
where you
live
Advantages
Useful for
the elderly
Stock basic
items
Open until
late
Corner Shops
Limited range
of items due to
size of shop
Disadvantages
Fresh fruit and
veg may be of
poor quality
More
expensive than
supermarket
Internet Shopping
Advantages
Can return
goods if
unsatisfactory
Saves time
and effort for
busy people
Save to
‘favourites’
Good for people
without transport –
delivered to your
door
Select goods
in our own
home
Internet Shopping
Need to have internet
access
Need to have a
credit/debit card
Disadvantages
Cannot select your own
goods
Delivery charge
Retail Outlets
Different methods of shopping suit different needs and
Resources.
Discuss which outlets would be suitable for a:
• Student
• A wheel-chair user
• Family with a young family
Food Miles
Food miles: the distance food has travelled from
harvesting, processing and packaging before it reaches
the consumer.
Summary
Consumers can buy goods in many different types of
shops
Large supermarkets are generally cheaper than small
shops, because they can buy products in vast amounts
and have a large turnover