Retailing

France-based multinational Carrefour continued to expand its global footprint during 2022 with the opening of its first hypermarket in Cameroon. This store is located at the PlaYce shopping centre in Yaoundé and it was inaugurated during July 2022.…

The rising cost of food is affecting the performance of grocery retailers, leading to positive value growth whilst also placing pressure on consumers’ finances. Despite government initiatives to delay a planned restructuring of food subvention and…

Lockdown restrictions imposed on shopping centres during the pandemic were particularly challenging for department stores in South Africa, which often occupy prime rentals in such locations. For Woolworths, the situation was worsened by civil unrest…

In 2023, general merchandise stores in Nigeria faced a notable decline in sales, primarily due to shifting consumer preferences driven by high inflation. As the cost of living rose, consumers found themselves grappling with reduced purchasing power,…

Morocco is embarking on a new trade strategy focused on bolstering local production and fostering job creation, signalling a transformative shift in the market. Collaborative efforts between the government and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce…

General merchandise stores in Egypt registered retail value (constant 2023 prices) growth in 2023. This was due to the performance of departments stores, with variety stores seeing a drop in retail value sales in real terms. Less positively, the…

In 2023, discounters in South Africa continued to record dynamic growth across all indicators. Despite decelerated food inflation, estimated at an average of 8.5% over 2023 as a whole compared to a 14-year high of 14.4% in March, South African…

Despite the potential for affordability offered by discounters, the overall spending power of Nigerian consumers experienced a decline, dampening the growth for this retail channel in Nigeria in 2023. With inflation soaring, consumers became…

Moroccan households continued to grapple with economic constraints in 2023, driving heightened price sensitivity and bolstering demand for discounters. With inflation reaching a decade high in the previous year, consumers increasingly sought…

Discounters in Egypt benefited from significant company activity at the end of the review period. In April 2023, Development Partners International (DPI) announced a USD165 million equity investment in Kazyon Ltd, the UK parent of the largest…

Direct selling benefited from a rising number of agents, particularly women, in Tunisia in 2022. This surge in participation can be attributed to the intensified recruitment efforts of leading operators such as Avon, which actively sought to expand…

In 2023, direct selling in South Africa remained subject to challenging operating environments. Despite some stabilising of value sales following three consecutive years of decline as a result of the pandemic, there was still lower demand for certain…

Direct selling in Nigeria faced challenges in 2023 as the country grappled with high inflation, resulting in decreased purchasing power among consumers. The direct selling model, predominantly conducted through social commerce and word of mouth, saw…

Direct selling in Morocco experiences a resurgence as society resumes normal activities, albeit amidst economic challenges posed by the rising cost of living. Despite initial setbacks during the pandemic, cosmetics and skin care show signs of…

Direct selling retail current value sales exhibited a steep decline during 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Restrictions on movement, most notably a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the major cities, made it difficult for salespeople to move around,…

Direct selling in Egypt has been transformed into a social commerce platform through evolving market dynamics, a significant reliance on social media platforms for news and trends and changing shopping behaviours. This shift is informed by the…

Multi-level level marketing remained the most popular form of direct selling in Cameroon in 2022 as the retailing category recorded a positive performance for the second year in a row. However, this was not enough for category sales to recover to…

Direct selling has evolved in the recent review period, with sellers turning to social media and online marketplaces. This switch to e-commerce was stimulated by the era of COVID-19, when consumers and players alike were forced to embrace online…

In 2023, convenience stores in South Africa continued to benefit from proximity to local households, with this format often used for daily or weekly top-ups. However, in suburban areas, the channel is increasingly being threatened by the emergence of…

The currency redesign initiated by the Central Bank of Nigeria in early 2023 created significant challenges for convenience retailers. The scarcity of the local currency, coupled with Nigeria's predominantly cash-driven economy and a large segment of…

In 2023, Moroccan retailers faced heightened competition, compelling them to diversify their strategies to maintain market relevance and sustain growth. Convenience stores, in particular, encountered stiff competition not only from traditional…

Convenience retailers in Egypt was affected by direct government efforts to support convenience stores. As the success of convenience stores is high, the government aims to stimulate new initiatives and facilitate bank loans to help local…

In 2023, sales via appliances and electronics specialists in South Africa were mainly driven by high inflation and currency depreciation, which directly influenced prices. The channel was also affected by lower demand from cash-strapped consumers,…

Appliances and electronics specialists in Nigeria experienced a downturn in 2023 as consumers grappled with economic challenges. Rising costs of appliances and electronics prompted consumers to reassess their purchasing priorities, leading to a…

Demand for household appliances has been under pressure, reflecting high inflation and shifting consumer priorities. However, despite this overall decline, demand for small household appliances continued to grow steadily since 2020. This trend…

Appliances and electronics specialists in Egypt saw significant new investments towards the end of the review period. Vestel, a Turkish home and professional appliances manufacturer, and Zorlu, a multinational holding company, announced plans to…

The performance of apparel and footwear specialists in South Africa continued to improve in 2023, due to consumers’ revived routines such as returning to the workplace and shopping centres. As inflationary pressure has been impacting disposable…

In 2023, apparel and footwear specialists in Nigeria contended with a challenging retail environment characterised by low consumer purchasing power and rising inflation. As consumers prioritised essential items such as groceries and medicine,…

Decathlon, a key player in the mass distribution of sports and leisure apparel and footwear, continued to demonstrate its winning model in 2023. With a discreet yet impactful approach, Decathlon has successfully democratised access to sports and…

Apparel and footwear specialists in Egypt felt the force of economic and political issues in 2023. Amid the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, high inflation, currency devaluation, import restrictions and the fallout of the war in Ukraine and…