THE DAILY CHART: Renowned retailers

If ever proof were needed that shoppers are crucial to the US economy, Deloitte's Global Powers of Retailing report would do. Of the world's top 25 retailers by sales, America boasts 11 of them. Granted, many of them have expanded effectively into overseas markets, but the bulk of their earnings are in most cases rooted in the United States. Australia's supermarket giants Woolworths and Wesfarmers have made it to the list, at spots 20 and 23 respectively.

Of the other countries making up the numbers Germany has five retailers inside the top 25, followed by France with three, Japan with two and the UK and the Netherlands have one a piece. While a certain amount of national pride is inevitable whenever any Australian group is seen mixing it with global heavyweights, the supermarket duopoly is a favourite Australian punching bag – which is why the chart above may be useful to those who argue that Woolworths and Coles have acquired too much power in the local market.