Retailing

Despite an overall slowdown in sales growth by e-commerce in Australia in 2023, especially by specialists, direct-to-consumer (DTC) models have gained popularity in the fashion industry as players sought to optimise their channel strategies and…

Robust growth continued for retail e-commerce in China in 2023, although the rate of current value increase was slower than seen in previous years. Retail sales were driven by strong performances for drinks and tobacco e-commerce, and for home…

Retail in Australia had to navigate a complex landscape in 2023, marked by a series of challenges, most notably the cost-of-living crisis stemming from rising interest rates and increased energy bills. These factors squeezed consumers' discretionary…

Retail in China maintained current value growth in 2023. In early December 2022, the Chinese government announced “New Ten Measures” to optimise COVID-19 prevention, and it cancelled the zero-COVID policy. The whole country saw an end to…

A culturally diverse population means that the landscape of small local grocers in Australia is rich with variety, with local shops sourcing products from around the world. This means that many small local grocers sell products which consumers…

Small local grocers in China includes a broad range of outlet types, from mom-and-pop stores to wet markets. After a year of significant decline in 2022, small local grocers returned to growth in 2023. This was mainly due to the end of COVID-19…

Although supermarkets in Australia recorded marginally lower growth in 2023 compared to 2022, it was still a solid performance by the channel. The elevated inflation rates and cost-of-living expenses resulted in high prices for basic essentials and…

Supermarkets saw moderate growth in current value terms in China in 2023. Consumer confidence is yet to pick up significantly in China, as economic uncertainty lingers in the country. Many supermarkets are also struggling with quality control,…

In 2023, consumer footfall in terms of shopping and commuting returned to near pre-pandemic levels, providing a further boost for vending in Australia. Local consumers are now regularly commuting for work and school purposes once again. Although…

After a year of minimal current value growth in 2022, when consumers limited their trips outside the home due to COVID-19 outbreaks, vending saw a strong increase in its growth rate in China in 2023. A double-digit rise was seen in value sales –…

The slowdown in the economy has not hit apparel and footwear specialists in Finland as hard as grocery retailers. Pent-up demand for clothing purchases since the pandemic, especially to wear at parties and celebrations, has sustained sales growth in…

Apparel and footwear specialists continued to record single-digit growth in current value terms in 2023 as the category continued on the path to recovery. Despite this sales remained lower than pre-pandemic levels as elevated inflation and a sharp…

While apparel and footwear specialists in New Zealand saw retail current value sales growth over 2023, the overall performance of the category reflected differences in the year. In the first half of the year, retail current value sales remained…

Apparel and footwear specialists recorded moderate value sales growth in 2023. A positive impact on the channel is the rapidly changing fashion that drives the sale of fast fashion, and even the visible trend of ultra-fast fashion, where consumers…

Appliances and electronics specialists in Finland witnessed further decline in 2023, in volume and current value terms, as the economy fell into recession. Sales of ovens, cooktops and furniture-covered appliances were most affected as consumers were…

It was another tough year for appliances and electronics specialists in Italy in 2023 with the category seeing a decline in current value terms for the second consecutive year. Sales slumped in 2020 due to the outbreak of COVID-19 before recording a…

Appliances and electronics specialists in New Zealand saw only marginal retail current value growth in 2023, despite a slight increase in the number of outlets. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, closed borders and a relatively stable economy…

Appliances and electronics specialists saw current value sales decline slightly in 2023. Trade was depressed as rapidly rising inflation caused unit prices to increase sharply and weakened consumer confidence and purchasing power. These conditions…

In 2023, convenience retailers in Finland witnessed only marginal current value growth, with much of this fuelled by high levels of inflation. Sales have suffered from lower purchasing power caused by the rising cost of living, with consumers…

The geopolitical developments of 2022 and 2023 have had a big impact on retail in Italy. Russia's war in Ukraine continued in 2023 with no sign of resolution at the time of writing, while the emergence of further instability in other parts of the…