Costco remains the global leader in warehouse clubs, driven by its efficient business model, strong member loyalty and the growing cultural relevance of its beloved private label, Kirkland Signature. While its digital transformation and international expansion have been cautious, recent investments signal a strategic shift. With rising global demand and evolving consumer expectations, Costco’s ability to balance scale, simplicity and value will define its next phase of growth.

Retail e-commerce registered dynamic current value growth in South Africa in 2024. The channel’s continued expansion was supported by improvements in internet penetration in the country, a rise in the number of digital-native shoppers, enhanced safety features, and the diversification of payment options. Grocery retail e-commerce remained one of the most dynamic categories, with players such as Spar significantly expanding the range of their on-demand delivery services during the review period.

In 2024, e-commerce in Germany witnessed a modest rebound following two years of low sales declines, although the growth was not as robust as initially anticipated by channel players. One of the key contributing factors to this rebound was the continued emphasis on enhancing the customer experience, both within physical stores and through online channels. Players are leveraging advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and personalised shopping experiences

Retail e-commerce in Morocco continued to post double-digit growth in 2024. This strong performance was underpinned by a favourable macroeconomic context, including easing inflation, rising urbanisation and improved household spending power. Additionally, increased internet penetration and a growing share of banked individuals supported the shift towards digital shopping. As more consumers gained access to secure online payment methods, reliance on cash-on-delivery diminished, reducing operation

Retail e-Commerce continued to rise at a rapid pace in Mexico in 2024, in a trend that persists as almost 66 million Mexicans use online channels to buy products and/or services - which equates to 4 out of 10 Mexicans. In addition, the Mexican online consumer has seen a rise in average age - between 22 and 34 years old in 2016 vs 38.9 years old in 2024 - and a higher participation of people from lower socioeconomic segments.

Retail e-commerce continued to grow in terms of sales, acceptance, and popularity in 2024 albeit at a much more moderate level than during the pandemic. Consumers are learning to value the benefits of e-commerce, which is partly due to word-of-mouth and the positive experiences of others, but also due to their own positive experiences, which is encouraging them to do more of their shopping online. Nonetheless, many people still remain sceptical when it comes to larger or higher priced items. For

Retail e-commerce in Nigeria recorded robust current value growth in 2024, despite significant challenges. Rising inflation, currency depreciation and high fuel costs affected logistics and reduced consumer purchasing power. However, increased internet penetration, greater smartphone accessibility, and the emergence of on-demand delivery platforms such as Glovo have supported the channel’s expansion. Fintech-led innovations in mobile payments further boosted consumer trust in online transactions

Retail e-commerce in India maintained dynamic but slowing double-digit current value growth in 2024, with increases in sales seen across all categories. One important factor in such a strong performance is that the popularity of quick-commerce continues to grow in India, thanks to players such as Blinkit, and Swiggy Instamart, driven by convenience, longer operational hours, and short delivery times, typically ranging from 15 to 30 minutes, especially for essential items such as packaged food an

In 2024, retail e-commerce in the United Arab Emirates continued to benefit from the growing number of affluent and tech-savvy consumers showing a preference for online shopping and advanced supporting infrastructures that facilitate higher internet penetration and faster delivery services. The channel’s strong performance was also supported by the influx of new operators, leading to more innovative and diversified offerings across price spectrums. For example, eJaby introduced a new platform fo

Egypt’s e-commerce sector experienced continued growth in 2024, supported by the increasing availability of affordable smartphones, greater internet penetration in urban and rural areas, and the growing diversity of product offerings. Improved payment infrastructure also played a key role, with consumers showing greater trust in digital transactions thanks to the expansion of secure and flexible payment solutions. Logistics innovation further strengthened the sector, with South Africa-based Parg

In 2024, retail e-commerce in the UK continued on its growth trajectory, with value sales reaching a high of GBP137 billion. The channel's resilience highlights consumers’ increasing reliance on digital shopping, further cementing e-commerce as a critical component of the UK’s retail industry. Online sales penetration continued to grow during the year to account for 29% share of total retail sales in the local market, highlighting that it has maintained its strong presence following the pandemic

After a negative performance in 2022, retail e-commerce returned to growth in current value terms in 2023 and 2024. This was driven by the consumer desire for convenience, greater product variety, and the ease at which they could search for the best prices. The rise of mobile shopping continues to shape e-commerce, with mobile purchases steadily increasing. This is in part due to the fact consumers are increasingly browsing and shopping for goods while on-the-go and while away from the home, but

Retail e-commerce saw current value growth in 2024, driven by increased internet accessibility and the adoption of digital technologies amongst retailers. A notable trend towards the end of the review period was the shift towards mobile commerce, as consumers increasingly used smartphones for online shopping. In addition, businesses invested in enhancing their online platforms, focusing on user-friendly interfaces and efficient logistics to meet rising consumer expectations. The integration of a

As social media becomes an integral part of daily life for both businesses and consumers, it continues to evolve quickly. This briefing explores how changing consumer preferences, emerging technologies and generative AI are reshaping the social media landscape, creating new trends and opportunities. It also profiles key platforms, including Discord, Douyin, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Reddit, Snapchat, Telegram, Threads, TikTok, WeChat, WhatsApp, X and YouTube.

Retail e-commerce in the Czech Republic registered stronger retail current value growth in 2024, compared with 2023; albeit much slower than in the early review period. While the COVID-19 pandemic initially brought a surge in online shopping, the aftermath has revealed complex new challenges. Macroeconomic factors, including high inflation, rising funding costs, the ongoing war in Ukraine and uncertainty in retail in general have affected e-commerce, leading to downturns in demand. These conditi

After reaching its peak in 2020, the growth of retail e-commerce has shown signs of slowing down. Nevertheless, the demand for convenience amongst consumers continues to drive the need for and current value growth of retail e-commerce, which continued in 2024. Recently, sales events led by major players such as Amazon and Rakuten have gained traction, alongside the adoption of shopping cultures from abroad, particularly the US, such as Black Friday. The trend of waiting for lower prices to make

Retail e-commerce in Slovakia experienced a positive growth of 4% in 2024, recovering from a sales decline in 2023. The increase in unit prices, driven by rising operational and production costs, contributed to this growth in value sales. However, overall consumer sentiment in Slovakia remained weak in 2024, leading to cautious spending habits and an inclination among consumers to shop more frugally. This shift continued to hinder the overall growth of e-commerce, even as higher prices and stabl

Although slowing slightly, retail e-commerce in South Korea continued to see dynamic current value growth in 2024, with its penetration of overall retail sales continuing to rise strongly, approaching 50%. The shift towards online consumption continues. Competitive pricing, aggressive discount strategies, and flexible returns policies are encouraging more consumers to shop online instead of offline. Promotional events such as major online sales festivals and exclusive membership benefits are als

E-commerce in Australia continued to record solid growth in 2024. Two of the main factors contributing to its performance, and will continue to drive growth in the coming years, is the convenience of the platform and the pricing strategy of many online platforms. Consumers are able to quickly and easily find the most attractive deals on products they want to purchase, at often far more competitive prices compared to shopping through an offline retail channel.

Retail E-Commerce in Singapore registered a minor contraction in 2024, marking its second consecutive year of decline. Despite this downturn, sales remain substantially higher than pre-pandemic levels, reflecting the broader shift towards online shopping over the last few years. The latest decreases are linked to post-pandemic lifestyle changes, including the resurgence of travel, dining out, and leisure activities that had been restricted during COVID-19. As consumers diversify their spending,

Retail e-commerce saw further strong current value growth in Indonesia in 2024. Overall, the increase in the number of internet users in the country and increased access to the internet in more rural areas were key reasons behind the strong performance of e-commerce during the year.

Retail e-commerce continues to expand in Saudi Arabia, driven by the increasing number of digital-native and tech-savvy shoppers among its youthful population. The availability of diverse payment options and new measures designed to protect against fraud is also having a positive impact. The dynamic performance is reflected by the latest Saudi government’s survey reporting 42% growth in e-commerce users between 2019 and 2024. Additionally, Saudi Arabia's Digital Government Authority (DGA) report

Following a marginal decline the previous year, e-commerce in Hong Kong returned to double-digit current value growth in 2024, supported by the performance of HKTVmall, as well as online delivery platforms such as Deliveroo and Keeta, along with Temu and fast fashion player Shein. The success of e-commerce can be attributed to greater user penetration in Hong Kong, with estimates of a 53% penetration rate among local consumers. This is primarily due to the increased ease of access to technology

E-commerce saw a return to value sales growth in 2024, as the frequency of shopping picked up in New Zealand. With inflation easing, the gradual recovery in purchasing power was felt by both physical and online retailers alike. Consumers have relied more on e-commerce due to economic hardship since they can often find better deals and compare prices across different sellers. However, the average online basket is reported to be smaller than in 2023, most likely due to the cost-of-living crisis.