Global versus regional food

The liberalisation of trade and capital transactions since the 1970s has strongly contributed to what today is known as globalisation. Food of all sorts, fresh as well as processed, and agricultural raw materials also became increasingly part of a worldwide division of labour and production. Especially by foreign direct investment and globally integrated networks of trade, transnational agro and food corporations emerged. Intertwined are processes of concentration in the retail sector of many countries. Today vertically integrated transnational food businesses represent a dominant market share. But regional and local food is still alive, in parts vibrant and developing, driven by quality and prominence of the producing regions. Furthermore, new paths of distribution as well as direct links between producers and consumers constitute short supply chains of food and thus relevant alternatives to globalised practices.