Aims and scope
The purpose of the journal is to provide a central place for publication and reference for those interested in all aspects of the history of retailing and consumption: from the literary, to the spatial, to the economic. In bringing together different disciplinary perspectives and methodological approaches, we aim to foster greater dialogue across disciplines which too often exist in silos. Equally, by drawing together contributions from across the globe, we look to establish a clearer dialogue between national schools of thought and to facilitate international comparisons through empirical studies and review essays. In this way, the journal will nuance the dominant Anglo-American perspective on consumption with viewpoints taken from different places and different times.

We look to publish high quality contributions on any aspect of the history of retailing and consumption: from antiquity to the 21 st century, and from advertising and shopping to consumption rituals and political identity. Articles might take a variety of forms: case studies of particular firms, places or practices; comparative analyses across space or time; review essays challenging or championing particular theoretical perspectives, or cross-disciplinary comparisons, for example linking archival and literary or artefactual sources. We also want to encourage ‘thought pieces’: shorter articles which could provide historical parallels with topical issues or explore particular objects, documents or shops. We also accept proposals for special issues on focused topics relating to retail and consumption and are pleased to now be accepting book reviews. In this way and others, we seek to link the journal to the curators/archivists who care for the shop/company archives or museum collections.

All research articles published in History of Retailing and Consumption have undergone rigorous peer-review, involving initial editor screening and anonymized review by at least two referees

Jon Stobart is Professor of Social History at the Manchester Metropolitan University. His research covers various aspects of consumption and retailing in eighteenth-century England: from second-hand goods, to the trade in groceries, to the material culture of the country house