Symbol group is a mainly British term for a form of franchise in the retail sector. They do not own or operate stores, but act as suppliers to independent grocers and small supermarkets which then trade under a common banner. Unlike other forms of franchise, they have expanded primarily by selling their services to existing stores, rather than by actively developing new outlets. SPAR is a well known symbol group with stores in many countries. There are several smaller symbol groups in the United Kingdom.
