The End of Direct Delivery episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 18, 2026 · 23 MIN

The End of Direct Delivery

from EconWorks Podcast · host EconWorks

What factors are contributing to the rising costs at your local independent grocery store? The answer might not be “inflation,” but a quiet shift in how food gets to the shelf.In this episode of EconWorks, we examine Mondelēz International’s decision to end Direct-Store-Delivery (DSD) for independent NYC grocers. We move past the logistics to analyze the competitive fallout:* The DSD Advantage: Why manufacturer-provided merchandising is a “hidden” subsidy for small retailers.* Marginal Cost Shifting: How moving to third-party wholesalers creates an unlevel playing field between local shops and big chains.* The Robinson–Patman Act: Why unequal access to logistics services might actually be a violation of federal antitrust law.Visit this page for a detailed article and illustration of this case:#Antitrust #SupplyChain #NYC #Mondelez #RobinsonPatman #Economics #GroceryNews #EconWorks This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.econworks.com/subscribe

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The End of Direct Delivery

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