Small Local Grocers

Traditionally, Japanese consumers have enjoyed shopping in areas called Shotengai, where many small shops, including small local grocers, are lined up along the streets. Customers visit different specialist shops to buy their vegetables, fish, and…

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…

While large supermarkets and hypermarkets continued to dominate grocery retailers in value terms in 2023, small local grocers in the United Arab Emirates experienced a resurgence towards the end of the review period. Operators of small local grocers…

Small local grocers in Argentina continued to cede some ground to or lose competitiveness with regard to modern grocery retailers like supermarkets, hypermarkets, convenience stores and discounters during 2023. In a context of very high inflation,…

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…

Inflation was still an issue in 2023 for small local grocers in Bulgaria, though growth eased. As such, though current value sales rose, constant value sales fell, as continuing rising costs cut profit margins. There was also minimal openings of new…

Small local grocers were becoming more popular in Canada in 2023, as they offered convenience, variety, and fresh products to urban consumers leading ever more hectic lifestyles. Small format stores allow retailers to adapt to changing consumer…

One of the most important pandemic-related impacts on small local grocers was the huge shift towards working from home. This deprived many operators of an extremely important consumer base of busy, urban professionals looking for a quick and easy…

In 2023, government intervention played a pivotal role in bolstering the resilience of small local grocers against mounting competition from modern retail formats. Recognising the economic importance of these traditional outlets, the government…

Small local grocers in Nigeria experienced rapid growth in 2023 due to their strategic advantages over larger retailers. Their proximity to consumers allowed for convenient access to essential goods, particularly for those living in densely populated…

With relatively low bargaining power, small local grocers in South Africa have become more exposed to the persisting inflationary pressure since they often source their products from wholesalers. The latter tend to have higher markups in comparison…

Small local grocers in the Czech Republic have struggled to adapt in an environment of high inflation, which has weakened the Czech economy since 2022 and created a cost of living crisis for Czech households. Indeed, some outlets were forced to cease…

While modern grocery outlets such as supermarkets and convenience stores, recorded stronger current value growth than small local grocers in the Philippines in 2023, the accessibility and traditional appeal of sari-sari stores meant that they…

Small local grocers saw robust value sales in Hungary in 2023, driven by the rise of urbanisation, busy consumer lifestyles, and the convenience which small local grocers offer due to their proximity benefits. Whilst small local grocers have also…

Small local grocers accounts for a negligible share of overall value sales within grocery retailers. Like most other grocery retail channels, small local grocers saw exceptional current value growth in 2020 in the first year of the pandemic, as…

“Mama shops”, which are small local grocers in Singapore typically located within older and mature residential estates, used to be the cornerstone of grocery retailers in the local market. Such a traditional retail format used to thrive on the…

2023 was not a good year for small local grocers in Slovakia. With inflation still being high, consumers cut back on spending in such outlets, as prices tend to be higher than in other larger grocery retailers. As such, both constant and current…

Small local grocers saw only modest growth in current value terms in 2023 while the number of outlets continued to decline, following the pattern seen throughout the review period. During the first year of the pandemic, small local grocers benefited…

Small local grocers in Taiwan recorded solid growth in value sales in 2023. The country boasts over 300 night markets, housing about 20,000 vendors and merchants, with a majority situated in towns and rural areas. These vibrant hubs represent the…

Current value sales for traditional small grocers in Thailand continued to rise in 2023, though at a significantly slower rate than in 2022, as the trend towards shopping in small stores close to homes continued. Small local grocers also benefit from…