The formation and development process of supermarkets in Taiwan:

Focusing on the stages from their inception to the entry of foreign companies

Abstract

　This paper examines the development process of supermarkets (food supermarkets) in Taiwan from a historical perspective, focusing on their characteristics and influencing factors. First, it analyzes the introductory period from 1963 to the early 1980s in three stages. Next, it explores the development period in the late 1980s driven by foreign enterprises, with a distinction between Japanese and Hong Kong companies. Furthermore, it clarifies the current state and conditions of Japanese and Hong Kong supermarkets that have remained in the Taiwanese market since 2000. The formation and development of Taiwanese supermarkets have been shaped by diverse factors, including the modernization of distribution by commercial capital and government initiatives, vertical integration of food manufacturers, diversification of agricultural wholesalers and commercial capital, the entry of foreign enterprises, and innovations by local companies. Additionally, the increase in supermarket users driven by improvements in economic and educational standards, along with the decline of traditional markets, forms a crucial backdrop. These intertwined elements highlight the complex trajectory of supermarket development in Taiwan.