Contributors

Virtual water trade and the contestation of hydrosocial territories

“…This has facilitated land and water concentration by large transnational companies and local elites operating in the agribusiness sector. Their strategy of horizontal and vertical integration within the agro-export chain has increased their power to control flows of goods and finance around the world (Baines, 2014;Burch & Lawrence, 2009;Carolan, 2012;Fuchs, Kalfagianni, & Arentsen, 2009;McMichael, 2009;Murphy, 2008).…”

“…Furthermore, from a political point of view, standards reinforce (economic, political and discursive) power in the Global North (Fuchs et al, 2009). Certifying and audit companies are also almost exclusively from the north.…”

Private Food Safety Standards in the EU

“…In particular retaildriven standards are very important because many suppliers of the large multinational supermarkets are required to be certified against one of these standards. Mergers and concentration in the retail market resulted in a relatively small number of multinational supermarket chains with large economic power in global and domestic food supply chains (Fuchs et al 2009;Ten Kate & Van der Wal 2017). Moreover, retail economic power is increased through cooperation in international buying groups.…”

“…Concentration in the food retail sector was the result of expansion and mergers. Several corporate food retailers operate in many countries and have a powerful market position (Fuchs et al 2009;Ten Kate & Van der Wal 2017;Marden 2010, 156ff). A third development that contributed to the rise of private food standards is the growing public concern about food safety as a result of several food scandals (BSE, dioxin, E-coli, salmonella) (Ansell & Vogel 2006;Fulponi 2006;Henson &Humphry 2010;Van der Kloet 2011).…”

Retailers, supply networks and changing articulations of ethicality: lessons from Flower Valley in South Africa

“…While there is of course marked differentiation in terms of how retailers implement and market ethical credentials (Hughes, 2005), the past decade has witnessed an overall mainstreaming of sustainability programmes incorporating both social and environmental responsibility as integral parts of retailers' corporate strategies (Fuchs et al, 2009;Lang et al, 2009;Vorley, 2007). Thus, the majority of retailers are developing ever more detailed and careful programmes and policies for managing sustainability in their supply chains.…”