The World Union of Wholesale Markets (WUWM) has opened its doors to retail markets.
WUWM announced it would invite retail markets to join its membership last week at its twenty-fourth annual congress in Baltimore, USA.
WUWM´s chairman, J A Ramos Rocha said: “This is a significant decision that will greatly increase WUWM´s representative and action capability, and strengthen the links between those markets and wholesale markets and, as a result, increase the effectiveness of efforts to restructure and re-organise distribution circuits.”
Forming a united front would aid markets in the struggle to combat the rising dominance of supermarkets and discount stores, added Maria Cavit, WUWM´s secretary.
David Smith, director of markets at the Corporation of London, highlighted the fundamental role shared by all markets in raising the global consumption of fresh produce.
He said: “One of the real selling points of wholesale and retail markets is their influence on consumption, since retail markets really are the only way to help citizens of lower economic groups to get 5 A Day. Not everyone can afford to buy a banana at a supermarket everyday but they perhaps could if they went to the local market.”
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