Retailing

Cities are hubs for spending, with 80% of expenditure expected to be generated by urban areas in 2023. Spending growth in 2023 will, however, be sluggish, as cost of living challenges force consumers to be more conservative in their expenditure. Over…

This report provides an in-depth analysis of the potential market strategies for companies in Sub-Saharan Africa amidst the current cost of living crisis. It details how companies can leverage affordability, technology, and values to cater to the…

Rising costs of living pose challenges globally, but companies can find opportunities in several categories, essential and discretionary, especially in underpenetrated fast-growing markets. By considering category adjacencies and focusing on value,…

Having plunged by almost a fifth during 2020, retail constant value sales (2021 prices) of apparel and footwear specialist retailers rebounded in 2021 but remained well below their pre-pandemic level. The number of outlets continued to decline during…

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…

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…

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,…

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…

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…

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 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…

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,…

Euromonitor International’s Commerce 2040 series outlines a vision for how consumers might shop in two decades. This report focuses on how the competing forces that are reshaping retail will impact the future of the store. In particular, the shift…

In the upcoming years, consumers and businesses face an array of challenges, with rising income inequality being among the key ones. Nevertheless, addressing the income inequality through catering to the Bottom of the Pyramid and the Middle Class…

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, 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…

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, 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…

Technological advances are creating unprecedented change across consumer-facing industries. The Digital Consumer Survey, fielded in March and April, offers insight into the pace and depth of this evolution, tracking consumer behaviour, attitudes,…

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…

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 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…

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 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 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…

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 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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

During 2020, e-commerce retail constant value sales (2021 prices) plunged by almost three quarters. The departure of Jumia Technologies AG from Cameroon in late 2019 left a hole that no remaining player has the capacity to fill. However, it has not…

During the review period, e-commerce remained the fastest-growing distribution channel in MEA. This trend was driven by increased consumer demand for convenience, which prompted the diversification of retail strategies. Besides, low penetration of…

Coronavirus (COVID-19) has shaken up the consumer goods, services and payment industries in Sub-Saharan Africa, putting pressure on supply chains and depressing sales, as lockdowns and job losses squeeze discretionary spending. As a result of the…

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…

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…

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,…

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…

This report examines inflation levels and drivers globally and in key countries. In 2023, global inflation is expected to ease from its peak in 2022, but remaining significantly above-trend. Geopolitical risks and uncertainty in the energy market are…

This report examines inflation levels and drivers globally and in key countries. Global inflation is reaching a peak, although geopolitical risks and uncertainty in the energy market remain key risks. The impact varies between countries, with…

This report examines inflation levels and drivers globally and in key countries in Q4 2023 and 2024. Global inflation is moderating, although divergence remains among the key economies. Higher volatility in the energy markets and disruption of…

The briefing examines how retail and wholesale industry performs globally and in the largest countries in terms of retail and wholesale output. The report also provides data for production, imports, exports, industry’s costs, industry’s profitability…

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has triggered the most severe global recession since World War II. In Q4 2020, the end of the pandemic started as countries began administering effective vaccines among the population; however, vaccine distribution…

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…

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.…

Brick and mortar grocery stores remain extremely popular in Kenya, despite ongoing strong growth in e-commerce. The number of grocery stores outlets continued to increase in Kenya in 2022 as operators looked to expand as the country continued its…

In 2022 grocery retailers in Tunisia faced a multitude of challenges, including supply shortages and fluctuating consumer demand. A significant contributing factor to these challenges was the rapid escalation of consumer prices, which surged to…

Health and beauty specialist retailers were a big beneficiary from the pandemic during 2020, with their retail constant value sales (2021 prices) rising at their fastest rate in well over a decade. This strong performance was particularly notable…

The major focus in health and beauty specialists in Egypt has shifted from premium brands to ones using all natural ingredients, vegan products and reduced levels of chemicals in the production of products. In this vein, the offers of many brands,…

Moroccan consumers continue to demonstrate traditional purchasing habits in the health and beauty specialists channel, with wholesalers playing a crucial role in supplying perfumeries. This distribution model offers cost-effective options for…