Book excerpt: This book is concerned with the spatial aspects of the distributive trades. It provides a comprehensive insight into the relationship between consumer demand and retail supply in the context of both recent business trends and increasing planning controls. It unites a wide variety of theories and techniques to the practical problems confronting businessmen and planners and draws together the findings of a vast research literature on the geography of retailing. Extensive comparisons are drawn between conditions in North America and Western Europe. Originally published 1976. ‘A valuable and welcome undergraduate textbook.’ Environment and Planning ‘Recommended unreservedly to managers and planners in the distributive trades and to all those who are concerned with the implications of current trends in the provision of shopping facilities.’ Retail Distribution and Management