Abstract
The following report encompasses four main parts, i.e. a literature review developing theories on the selected topic, a research methodology helping in the selection of the most accurate research method, findings following from the primary research and a discussion confronting the literature review and the findings. To start with, the literature review investigates the recent increase of the food discounter's format and tends to give a comparison with the supermarkets one, leaders of the food industry. This section mainly tackles the food retailer strategies and the competitive advantages they try to cultivate, notably the store loyalty. Thus, this part brings to light the relationships between the store loyalty and the store perception, via the example of the store environment as factor of negative or positive perception. This part finished on the highlighting of an opportunity to create store loyalty via a better store perception for food discounters. Then, the research methodology aims to determine the most accurate research design, method and technique in order to carry out properly a marketing survey. This theoretical framework shows the qualitative approach as the most suitable because of the nature of the needed information, i.e. the observation of behaviors, attitudes and habits of customers, especially in food discount stores and supermarkets. The selected approach is more precisely a mystery shopping with a questionnaire on the store environment in two food retailers: a supermarket (Asda) and a food discounter (Aldi). To continue, the findings are the results from the primary research in the form of marks, that is to say from the mystery shopping. The findings are accompanied by an analysis following from the results underlining the main similarities and differences between both food retailers in term of store environment and impact on the behaviors and attitudes of customers. This latter is mainly based on the store interior of both food retailers through the layout, the atmosphere or the merchandising principles and tends to deliver a critical picture of the differences in the elaboration and the potential impacts on the buying decision process and then the store loyalty of customers.
