Distributionsekonomisk optimering av dagligvaruhandelns lokalisering
förstudie till ett forskningsprojekt
The structure and performance of grocery distribution in Sweden has changed profoundly since the second world war. Increasing access and usage of the private car, in combination with an accommodating town planning has enhanced the exploitation of scale economies within distribution firms. There is, however, some ambiguity concerning the overall efficiency of the distribution system when the costs associated with travelling and purchasing performed by households are treated as an integrated part of the total distribution cost function. The purpose of this master thesis is to develop the foundation of a spatial optimisation model, which defines the most efficient distribution system. The underlying idea is that the optimal localisation and size of grocery stores is a function of economies of scale within the firms weighed against distributions costs within the households, such as transportation costs. The optimal system, i.e. the solution of the model, minimises the overall distribution cost. Each store in the model has a hexagonal market area and the optimisation is carried out within the boundaries of four systems of store structures, representing different combinations of store size and location. The transportation cost function includes parameters representing distance, parking, time usage and differences between taxed and non-taxed labour costs. The model can be described as basic and is a first step to a more realistic and comprehensive model, which incorporates all relevant cost components. The aim is to tackle this development in future research projects.