Logistics Pooling in the French Food Retailing Supply Chains: An Exploratory Study

Faced with the increased performance requirements of large food retailers, suppliers are continually seeking solutions to improve their logistical performance. To achieve this, for the last few years manufacturers have turned to pooling. This practice requires the mutualization of logistical means (warehouses, distribution centers, transport tools, information systems) and to have the managed by another company, logistics service providers. Despite the interest of numerous companies in pooling, horizontal mutualization experiences between suppliers and large food retailers, remain limited. The main objective of this paper is to identify the obstacles slowing down recourse to horizontal mutualization solutions. Documentary research in specialized professional reviews backed up with interviews with three experts has enabled us to identify and analyze the reasons stopping suppliers to adopt this collaborative approach in greater numbers