An international team of researchers studied the following aspects of training in Belgium's retail sector: structure and characteristics, institutional and social context, employment and labor, changing conditions and their implications for skill requirements, and training and recruitment. Data were collected from an analysis of social and labor/employment statistics, literature review, and case studies of a chain of 47 supermarkets with 2,000 employees (half are part-timers) and a company consisting of six chains (including 147 discount food stores, 45 supermarkets, and 6 restaurants) and employing approximately 8,800 individuals. In both cases, at least some systematic approach to planning training was evident. In the first case, permanent training initiatives focused primarily on product knowledge but also included some degree of training in marketing, customer service, and improved communication between departments. Training was planned/delivered internally through short courses offered in quick succession. In the second company, training focused on practical knowledge with some attention to "socio-normative" skills and was contracted from external providers on a yearly basis. Training was not linked to the national education system or any sectoral programs in either company, and neither company conducted any systematic evaluation of training costs and benefits. (Fifty-five tables/figures are included. Contains 28 references.) (MN)