The Dominican Federation of Merchants (FDC) has proposed that all local merchants create a "grand strategic alliance" to confront competition from international distribution chains establishing beachheads in the DR. FDC President Iv?n de Jes?s Garc?a warned that without such a pooling or resources and mutual support, the small Dominican neighborhood merchant now common would disappear. He claimed the large supermarket firms are already trying to create chains of neighborhood mini-supermarkets that will "sweep away our colmados." He pointed to the recent announcement that a Costa Rican emporium will soon enter the Dominican market as evidence of the danger. The firm controls 60% of retailing in Costa Rica, he claimed, and Dominican merchants need to make common cause to meet such market power "with a response of the same caliber."
