Euromonitor International: Retail Concepts Presentation
Author: Antonia Branston
Date published: 12 Dec 2007
Retailing developments around the world showcased; cross-industry trends result in development of new formats responding to consumer demand and/or targeting very specific consumer groups.
Product ranges reflect health and ethical concerns
As consumers become more preoccupied with their health and wellbeing, retailers around the world are tailoring their formats to take account of this major trend, resulting in developments such as the Eden Teva organic hypermarket in Israel and Hong Kong's new healthcare-based supermarket ThreeSixty. Meanwhile, in Morocco, consumer interest in ethical issues has prompted the Marjane supermarket chain to develop areas devoted to fairtrade products and items made by prison inmates, with proceeds going to help them after release.
Increasingly specific consumer targeting
Segmentation is another major widely seen phenomenon, with retailers, particularly in terms of smaller-scale formats, catering to ever narrower consumer demographics: convenience stores for women in Japan (Happily), children in the US (Kidfresh) and diabetics in Belgium (Nutradia), as well as an entire shopping mall in Hungary devoted to engaged couples (the Just Married Centre).
Convenience is key
Busier lifestyles and rising urbanisation mean convenience is a major trend, leading to measures such as self-scanning systems reaching Switzerland (following their introduction by Waitrose in the UK in 1996) and self-operated checkouts in Tesco's new Fresh & Easy format in the US. With consumers constantly on the go, new ways of reaching them are also important, leading Tesco Poland to introduce talking shopping trolleys to advertise products within a shopper's reach, while the Volg supermarket chain in Switzerland has simply decided to bring the store to the customer rather than attract the customer to the store, with its new mobile units.
Healthcare and hot food from a machine
Non-store retail developments have mirrored these trends: healthy products available from vending machines now include fresh-cut fruit, filtered water and even OTC healthcare products; while few products can claim to be as convenient as hot French fries, ready in two minutes from an innovative new French vending machine.
New technology, new formats for consumers near and far
Access to internet shopping has been improved for Czech consumers by the Datart mobile payment terminals, which give them the option to order on-line and pay by card. Meanwhile in Italy, Casa mediashopping is reaching consumers in a new way through an established medium, television shopping channels, by showcasing products within a soap opera format, while the on-line personas of consumers from around the world were introduced to stores such as Circuit City and American Apparel via the Second Life virtual world phenomenon.
The retail world is changing. To get a view of some of the most exciting new developments, Retailing