Retailing

In Norway, general merchandise stores only includes variety stores, as there are no department stores in the country. In 2020, the channel saw exceptional current value growth as consumers looked for items such as cleaning products when the pandemic…

In 2021 and 2022, apparel and footwear specialist retailers in France saw strong current value growth as they began their post-pandemic recovery. However, inflationary pressures have since reduced household spending on discretionary goods. In 2023…

Current value sales in appliances and electronic specialists slumped in 2023 after slowing down in 2022. This downward trend is partly explained by the post-pandemic normalisation of sales in tech and consumer and home appliance products, with surges…

The quick commerce (q-commerce) sector in France, with its ultra-fast grocery delivery services, expanded rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic, gaining ground across urban areas. This growth was fuelled by lockdowns that pushed demand for services…

Direct selling was unexpectedly successful in France around the time of pandemic. Initially facing a downturn in early 2020, it rebounded in 2021. Though the overall category has slumped again in 2023, continuing 2022’s downward trend, this fall was…

Against a challenging economic background discounters is proving to be a resilient format in retail in France in 2023, as one of the most dynamic distribution channels. Discounters has the advantage of affordability and high appeal to…

Department stores in France has witnessed a significant post-pandemic turnaround over 2021-23, recovering from a particularly challenging 2020, which marked one of the retail market's lowest performances. The strong rebound was driven by an increase…

Beauty specialists benefitted from the continued post-pandemic return to increased time spent socialising and working outside of the home in France in 2023. Demand rose in categories like colour cosmetics, among others. Similarly, optical goods…

Pet shops and superstores in France remained resilient in 2023 despite economic constraints and squeezed household budgets. With consumers having continued to show dedication to their pets during the pandemic, when they spent substantially increased…

The initial phase of the pandemic saw proximity-focused convenience stores and supermarkets thrive as travel curbs encouraged local shopping. With the return of pre-pandemic routines, hypermarket outlets have seen a surge in footfall, benefitting…

In 2023, retail e-commerce overall recorded positive current value growth in France, following the category’s decline in 2022. The count of active e-commerce sites remained on an upward trajectory, albeit at a moderated rate in 2023.

The French overall retail market saw modest growth in terms of current value sales in 2023, which, while seemingly robust, was primarily driven by inflation and a return to normalcy following the challenging conditions and lingering effects of the…

As the cost of groceries continued to increase in 2023, small independent grocery stores faced intensified competition from chained outlets. Small local grocers suffer from limited bargaining power and struggle to manage rising operational expenses…

During 2020 and into early 2021, supermarkets saw a surge in customer visits and sales in response to pandemic-era lockdowns and driven by the convenience of location, manageable store sizes, and the availability of click-and-collect services.…

In 2023, vending reached a valuation of EUR2 billion in France. A substantial proportion of that – amounting to EUR1.6 billion, was derived from machine operations. Meanwhile, the remaining EUR600 million stemmed from the procurement of a diverse…

Although disposable income slowly recovered in 2023 compared to repeatedly high inflation, consumers remained relatively frugal in their spending on apparel and footwear. Many made savings by opting for apparel or footwear and reduced their shopping…

Consumer restraint affected the entire retail market in 2023, but appliances and electronics specialists was one of the categories most negatively affected.

Just like grocery retailers as a whole, convenience retailers saw strong growth in value sales in 2023, although this was almost entirely price driven as inflation remained at unusually high levels for a second consecutive year. Demand itself only…

Just like retail as a whole, direct selling saw significant growth in value sales in 2023, but it was entirely price-driven as inflation remained at unusually high levels for a second consecutive year. Given the focus of direct selling in Austria on…

Just like grocery retailers as a whole, discounters saw strong growth in value sales in 2023, although this was almost entirely price-driven as inflation remained at unusually high levels for a second consecutive year. Demand itself only showed…

General merchandise stores continued to significantly outperform retailing overall in terms of value sales growth due in the main to the continuing expansion and success of variety stores. It was one of the areas least affected by the generally sharp…

Driven by significant price increases, overall health and beauty specialists saw strong growth in value sales in Austria in 2023, roughly at the same level as retail offline overall. Consumers' willingness to spend in this category has generally…

Consumer restraint affected the entire retail sector in 2023, but it was particularly pronounced in home products specialists. Consumers had already invested heavily in their homes during the pandemic, when they were spending much more time at home.…

Just like grocery retailers as a whole, hypermarkets saw strong growth in value sales in 2023, although this was almost entirely price driven as inflation remained at unusually high levels for a second consecutive year. Demand itself only showed…

After a slow year, retail e-commerce saw significant growth in value sales again in 2023, although this was entirely price driven as inflation remained at unusually high levels for a second consecutive year. Although disposable income slowly…

After a year of slowdown, the retail market experienced significant growth in value terms although this was entirely price-driven as inflation remained at unusually high levels for a second consecutive year. Although disposable income in 2023 slowly…

Small local grocers was also characterised by a reluctance to spend among consumers in 2023, as inflation and the cost of living have risen sharply since the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis in spring 2022. Sales rose sharply again in 2023, although…

Just like grocery retailers as a whole, hypermarkets saw strong growth in value sales in 2023, although this was entirely price driven as inflation remained at unusually high levels for a second consecutive year. Demand was down as consumers…

Vending saw good growth again in 2023, when Austria finally put the COVID-19 pandemic largely behind it and public life and consumer mobility finally returned to normal. During the pandemic and temporarily closed stores, there has been a lot of…

Apparel and footwear saw current value growth rise on a par with recent years, with inflation fuelling some growth. This followed a few tough years during the pandemic era when people stayed at home and retail sales were naturally limited. Saved…

The combined impact of the pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 created widespread instability in the local economy with high inflation and a sharp rise in prices continuing to be seen in 2023. This limited the recovery of apparel and…

Appliances and electronics in Norway registered an uplift in value sales in 2023, largely due to inflationary pressures, which pushed up retail prices. Consumer demand weakened as interest rate hikes took hold, whilst the weak currency led to higher…

Appliances and electronics specialists saw only modest growth in current value terms in 2023, with the challenging economic environment impacting spending on non-essential items. Although inflation was lower than in 2022 it still remained higher than…

The twin challenges of high inflation and heightened competition continue to impact the performance of convenience retailers in Norway, only prolonging its recovery from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Convenience stores and forecourt retailers…

Convenience retailers benefited from the lifting of the remaining COVID-19 restrictions and the opening of new outlets across Spain. There was also increased foot traffic in urban areas driven by the rise in tourism which supported the growth of…

The pandemic has revived the fortunes and renewed the popularity of the direct selling channel amongst Norwegian consumers, as it led companies to establish new ways of marketing and selling their products, namely by using digital tools, such as…

According to the Spanish Association of Direct Selling, only around 30% of Spaniards purchase products via direct selling. The regions where direct selling has the highest penetration rate are Andalusia, Madrid, and Catalonia. The limited penetration…

Discounters in Norway fared well both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic and have been able to sustain this solid performance in 2023. In the face of high inflation, locals are seeking out lower prices when grocery shopping. Price pressures have…

Even though inflation rates declined in 2023 as compared to the record highs registered in 2022, they remained higher compared to pre-pandemic levels. As a result, price remained the main driving factor behind where many people chose to shop for…

Department stores benefited from the increase in inbound tourists seen in Spain in 2023 as foreign tourists love to go to places such as El Corte Inglés to do their shopping and to partake in the uniquely Spanish experience found in its outlets.…

The Danish health and personal care store Normal witnessed a strong performance in 2023 due to the success of its retail concept. Consumers have been flocking to Normal for budget offers in 2023, with the retailer competing on price with both…

The Dia supermarket chain reached an agreement to sell 1,000 Clarel stores to Colombian group Trinity in 2023. The deal, which it is estimated will reach EUR42.2 million, will see payments spread over six years and will include three distribution…

After dynamic growth during the pandemic, home improvement and gardening stores and homeware and home furnishings stores have struggled in 2023. Following increases in shipping costs and electricity alongside large inventories, the channels have…

Russia's invasion of Ukraine had a huge impact on global energy prices, with the impact continuing to be felt in Spain in 2023. High energy prices coupled with high inflation and a sharp rise in the cost of living pushed more Spaniards to look into…

Hypermarket sales have stayed above pre-pandemic levels in 2023, due to a solid performance from the sole player Coop Obs. The retailer employed bulk buying and delivered budget friendly products to compete against other dominant grocery retailers in…

Despite the Spanish government reducing VAT rates and even placing a 0% VAT rate on foods like fruit and vegetables and bread, food prices continued to grow in 2023, with Spain continuing to experience elevated inflation. While some consumer…

Following very strong progress during the pandemic, retail e-commerce continues to grow at a steady pace in Norway, with another solid performance in 2023. This is even true of segments that performed poorly offline, such as homewares and home…

After seeing dynamic double-digit growth year-on-year throughout the review period retail e-commerce saw a slowdown in 2023 in current value terms, with consumer electronics e-commerce even posting a decline in sales. Elevated inflation, rising…

Inflationary pressures have led to stronger price competition in Norway’s retail landscape. Food price increases have been a notable issue for grocery retailers resulting in intense competition between supermarkets and discounters. Players have come…

Retail in Spain continued to be impacted by high inflation in 2023, with high energy and fuel prices putting pressure on operators and leading to rising prices for the consumer. The Spanish government tried to mitigate the increase in prices by…