Retailing

Mobile e-commerce had been expanding rapidly during the early part of the review period, albeit from a very low base. During 2020, mobile e-commerce retail constant value sales (2021 prices) plunged by more than two thirds. The departure of Jumia…

Grocery shopping continues to be dominated by traditional grocery retailers, but prior to the onset of the pandemic, the retail constant value sales (2021 prices) of modern grocery retailers had been expanding rapidly in Cameroon. The Carrefour…

In non-grocery retail, imports from Spain have been negatively affected by the temporary trade ban. On 8 June 2022, the Algerian authorities suspended the friendship treaty of all commercial operations between the two countries – apart from gas…

The July 2022 opening of the PlaYce shopping centre in Yaoundé represented a watershed moment in the development of non-grocery retailers in Cameroon. In addition to playing host to a large hypermarket under the Carrefour brand, this very modern new…

Faced with rising costs, some major non-grocery retailers were forced to close their doors towards the end of the review period. Following a general pattern of South African retailers exiting Kenya, Massmart Holdings Ltd announced in early 2023 its…

Home products specialists felt significant impact from the escalating cost of raw materials in 2022. The surge in raw material prices had a cascading effect on consumer demand for home products, as retailers were compelled to transfer the additional…

Retail e-commerce is the big winner in Algeria in 2022, boosted by the era of the pandemic forcing consumers and players to embrace online platforms, and further supported by the ongoing developments in telecommunications infrastructure in the…

While positive growth was recorded in retailing in Cameroon during 2022, demand was under pressure due to the impact of the high inflation that was in effect throughout the year. In particular, many lower-income households struggled to make ends meet…

Retail e-commerce in Egypt continued to develop fast at the end of the review period. As a result, it was set to improve its ranking among the largest markets in the channel, moving ahead of South Africa, by the end of the review period. All…

Sendy launched a payment on delivery product for e-commerce and social commerce vendors in Africa, with this including Kenya. This is seen as a significant new product as it overcomes security concerns some consumers still have about shopping online,…