Information sharing in the upstream and downstream supply chains of the UK discount retail sector.

Much is known in regards to the supply chain transformation of major food retailers such as Tesco, Asda, Morrison's and Sainsbury's. The grocery supply chain transformation has been presented as six inter - locking trends; increased control over secondary distribution, restructured logistical systems, adoption of quick response, rationalization of primary distribution, increased return flow of packaged material and handling equipment and the introduction of supply chain management (Fernie and Sparks 2014 pg 6 - 8). These six trends encapsulate the changes to the retail sector over the last forty years; the replacement of the systems where traditional retailers once received deliveries direct to stores from their manufacturers by a retailer-organised and dominated process that has led to a greater degree of upstream (retailer to the manufacturer) and downstream (retailer to the store) supply chain control and power for retailers (Collins 2001, Fernie 1997, Fernie et al 2000, Fernie et al 2010). Factors that have contributed to this success include increasing scale of business, private, brand development and the establishment of distribution centres, upstream consolidation centres and composite distribution. This supply chain transformation also includes the introduction of Efficient Consumer Response and Just in Time principles that established collaborative planning and information sharing between supply chain partners (Collins 2001, Fernie 1997).
The grocery retail sector today however is not what it was ten years ago. Changing consumer shopping habits has led the way for convenience and discount retailers to enter the market. 55% of consumers are now shopping at discount retailers in 2014 compared with only 38% in 2010 (Mathur 2015). In 2014 12% of consumers used a discount retailer as their main store and 51% of consumers used a discounter in the previous month (Carpenter 2014). Discount retailers have expanded rapidly in recent years reaching 10% market share in food (Aldi and Lidl) and dominating the lower price end of the non - food market (Poundland, B&M).

There are supply chain differences between traditional and discount retailers. Lower manufacturing costs, increased buying power and a limited number of product lines are some of the characteristics of a discount retailer's business strategy (Dryburgh 2015, Mirko and Schmidt 2011). The limited assortment of many discount retailers simplifies the supply chain and makes relationships with selected suppliers closer. This is augmented by the need to handle "special buys"; but overall the supply chain is believed to be shorter and simpler than in traditional retailers.

Whilst a successful supply chain has the elements of the logistics mix interlinked, it is the communication aspect that is of most importance for any supply chain to be effective and efficient (Fernie and Sparks 2014, pg., 3 -4). Information sharing, information flow and information technology are all building blocks of such communication. Information sharing in supply chains has been previously researched. Guo and Li (2014) found information sharing is the most essential aspect of supply chain coordination. Top management support, trust, shared vision and frequent interaction was found as the top four positive factors of information sharing (Mbhele 2014). Benefits of information sharing include reduction in supply chain costs, productivity improvements and market strategies (Anica - Popa 2012). Challenges to information sharing include the length of the supply chain, competitors accessing information and the risks from installing Information Technology systems (Mbhele 2014, Manzouri et al 2013). However much of this research has been general and has not focused on the emerging discount sector. The research aims and objectives of such studies were not intended to fully identify and understand challenges from sharing information across supply chains.