Trends for 2018: Retailers will face a tougher test as big brands dominate

Receiving a green light from the UK’s competition commission in November, Tesco’s £3.7bn deal to acquire wholesale giant Booker, announced in January, set a precedent for a year of consolidation in 2017, which also saw Amazon strengthen its grip on groceries after purchasing Whole Foods Market for £10.7bn. The consolidation is likely to continue into 2018.
Meanwhile, between January and September 2017, 37 retail businesses went bust or were bought out of administrati