- Corporate name and control of the enterprise at the head of the network;
- Extent of the network: number of retail outlets in France and abroad, distribution of retail outlets according to the type of organisation (own-brand sales, under franchise contract, etc.) and turnover per type of organisation;
- Organisation of network: existence of own brand, existence of buying groups, referencing centres, etc.).

Enterprises surveyed are at the head of one or more networks of 7 establishments or more in the retail (excluding pharmacies) and small-scale commercial fields.

Sectors surveyed in the NAF rev. 1 700 level classification:
151F, 158B, 158C, 158D, 521A, 521B, 521C, 521D, 521E, 521F, 521H, 521J, 522A, 522C, 522G, 522J, 522N, 522P, 523C, 523E, 524A, 524E, 524F, 524C, 524H, 524J, 524L, 524N, 524P, 524R, 524T, 524U 524V, 524W, 524X, 524Z and 525Z.