42
By Bagehot
POLITICIANS have been bashing supermarkets and chain stores as long as such shops have existed. In much of the European continent, some of the loudest complaints have centred on the competition large shops are seen to offer smaller, local stores, through such things as pricing and long opening hours. In much of Europe, selling certain goods at below cost price to attract customers (loss leading) is duly illegal, and opening hours are strictly regulated.
