Food Retail Competitive Strategy in Recession Economy: A Case of Successful Foreign Discount Stores in Finland

The study aims to increase our knowledge of how a retailer can survive in recession economy by changing its competitive strategy. In particular, the study is to identify those strategies that can help retailers to maintain successful performance despite turbulence in the operational environment. A case study approach is employed to explore a whole picture of a successful retailer’s actions and strategy to scope with down turn economy. Results of the study show that retailers can maintain and improve their performance in times of crisis by adjusting their competitive strategies properly. We found that in recession period, retailers need to exercise a combination of competitive strategies including low cost focus and differentiation focus strategy. To be able to enhance low cost strategy, retailers need to have logic logistic center, to increase effectiveness of employees, and to reduce wastes from right-ordered for fresh food products, to strictly utilize first-in-first-out food product displaying methods. For focus strategy, firms need to pull unprofitable products from the shelves, and to focus on profit-driven product selection, to focus their promotion campaign on the most effective time and channel. In differentiation strategy, retailers need to be more selective for which products to offer, and to be more creative in their promotion program.