New analysis and empirical evidence on several topics such as the determinants of shape and nature of the vertical relationships in the food system, the determinants of vertical co-ordination and competition, types and mechanisms of co-ordination as well as the consequences for competitiveness, consumer welfare and policy implications are provided. The focus is on vertical issues at different stages of the food chain with a particular emphasis on the increasing role played by retailers in shaping the vertical relationships in the food system through the development of food supply-chain management.New analysis and empirical evidence on several topics such as the determinants of shape and nature of the vertical relationships in the food system, the determinants of vertical co-ordination and competition, types and mechanisms of co-ordination as well as the consequences for competitiveness, consumer welfare and policy implications are provided. The focus is on vertical issues at different stages of the food chain with a particular emphasis on the increasing role played by retailers in shaping the vertical relationships in the food system through the development of food supply-chain management.G. Galizzi, L. Venturini: Introduction.- The Economics of Vertical Coordination: A.M. Azzam, E. Pagoulatos: Vertical Relationships; A. Boon: Capabilities, Transaction Costs, and Vertical Coordination in the Food System; R.W. Cotterill: The Economics of Private Label Pricing and Channel Coordination; G. Galizzi, L. Venturini: Towards a Theory of Successful Vertical Cooperation in the Food System; R.E. Goodhue, G.C. Rausser: Value Differentiation in Agriculture: Driving Forces and Complementarities; S.F. Hamilton, K. Stiegert: Backward Linkages and Strategic Firm Behavior: An Application to International Trade; E.W. Kuiper, M.T.G. Meulenberg: A Structural Vector Error-Correction Model of Price Time Series to Detect Bottleneck Stages within a Marketing Channel; J. Marttila: The Effecl“¿