Analogous Products and Food Quality Products: Two Poles of the Competition

The globalisation of processing industry and the consolidation of the international retail trade, together with the increase of imports after the EU access, supported the competition hot up and saturation of domestic food market. Both food processors and food retailers are exposed to increasing competition. In order to maintenance on the market they are increasingly pressed to minimize their costs and/or to accomplish higher prices for products with competitive advantage. Besides of that all participants of the agri-food chain are pressed to intensify marketing support of their goods. Aiming to reduce the costs, some of processors choose the way by the substitution of part of the input material by another, cheaper one. On the other hand, the offer of foods with specific quality attributes such as organic foods, regional marks, specialities or other quality food products is a way, how to surpass the sharp competition. On the background of the retail network development, of shopping behaviour and of development of competition, this study recapitulates main marketing trends on the food market in the Czech Republic, the reasons of these trends and their impacts. In the study a space for food quality products on the Czech market is being searched in the competition with products of lower price categories