““Two changes have weakened manufacturers’ hold over shelfspace. Independent stores, who were heavily influenced by the manufacturers, have declined dramatically in the face of competition from major chains and are now insignificant in most categories The large, sophisticated retailers have stopped seeing their shelfspace as a commodity for sale, and now see it as a crucial resource to be used in pursuit of their own objectives. In particular, retailers who are actively marketing their private label brands in competition with manufacturers will use shelfspace to promote their own brands. They have taken back control of ‘their’ shelfspace.””
