"Committed to Free Enterprise" As one of the last vestiges of small entrepreneurship in the U.S., the country's over 1100 U.S. flea markets provide opportunities for approximately 2.25 million vendors conducting over $30 Billion in sales annually. The markets are visited by over 150 million customers each year. Flea markets contribute to the local, state, and federal economy through real estate, food, sales and use taxes. In addition, the federal government recognizes flea markets as a regulated form of retail business and permanently includes them in the national census for purposes of determining the country's gross national product (GNP). The National Flea Market Association opposes legislative proposals which attempt to single out or discriminate against flea markets. Under the guise of consumer protection, these measures commonly attempt to impose unnecessary restrictions upon flea markets without valid justification or consideration of other competing forms of retail establishments. Such legislation not only stifles competition by creating unnecessary barriers to flea markets and their vendors, but also allows "Big Box" retailers to control the flow of merchandise within manufacturers, distributors, and wholesale networks. As a result, legislative proposals which discriminate upon flea markets are opposed by most consumer groups, because they hurt the buying public by limiting their access to low cost merchandise.