Small local grocers saw current value growth in South Africa in 2024. Despite the evolution of mainstream modern grocery retail formats, South Africa's spaza shops continue to expand, playing a crucial role in township economies. These small, informal stores offer unmatched accessibility, often operating long hours and selling products in affordable, smaller quantities. The improvements in the global economy predicted over the forecast period are likely to reopen the funding tap for start-ups su

With stagnant current value sales in 2024, small local grocers in Germany recorded the lowest growth among all grocery retailing channels. The weak performance by small local grocers was also driven by the continued decline in outlet numbers during the year, with some stores closing amid challenging trading conditions. The channel was affected by the economic downturn in Germany, where GDP contracted for a second consecutive year.

Despite the rapid expansion of modern retail formats, small local grocers remain deeply rooted in Morocco’s retail ecosystem. Their widespread presence across urban and rural areas ensures continued accessibility, especially in neighbourhoods where modern grocery retail remains underpenetrated. Small grocers continue to thrive by leveraging long-standing personal relationships with local communities, often providing services that modern outlets do not – such as credit purchases and the repackagi

In 2024, small local grocers saw moderate current value growth in Mexico. The expansion of modern grocery retailers, driven by chains such as OXXO in convenience stores and Tiendas 3B in discounters, has been hampering the performance of small local grocers, which are commonly known as tienditas in Mexico. In addition, these outlets struggle from a reduced access to credit, as well as from the competition from informal commerce.

Small local grocers suffered the consequences of consumers aiming to reduce their overall spending in 2024. Many people looked to cut down on purchasing non-essential items while others shopped at less expensive outlets including discounters, supermarkets, and hypermarkets, or waiting until items were available at a discount/on promotion. Small local grocers tend to be more specialised in their portfolios and thus more expensive, with many of these outlets focused on regional/local, natural/orga

Despite the rise of modern grocery channels, small local grocers continued to thrive in 2024, supported by the informal sector’s vast economic footprint and the needs of lower-income households. With around 40 million small enterprises, informal retail remains the backbone of Nigeria’s grocery landscape. Small grocers offer flexibility with low inventory models, cater to demand for smaller pack sizes, and operate close to consumers, often within walking distance. This proximity, combined with pe

In 2024, small local grocers in India continued to account for three quarters of overall value sales generated by grocery retailers, driven by sheer volume of these outlets across the country. This channel is one of the oldest and most established for grocery shopping in the country, and offers ease of accessibility for daily needs, with consumers often preferring to shop at neighbourhood stores, as they are in close proximity to homes in both urban and rural areas. Although small local grocers

Despite a positive performance in value sales terms, the number of small local grocers in the United Arab Emirates continued to decline in 2024. This was primarily due to rising urbanisation rates, increased demand for diversified offerings, and lack of competitiveness with modern grocery retailers that can offer more affordable prices through economies of scale, especially as they benefited from an influx in investments from public and private investors towards the end of the review period.

Small local grocers retained their position as the largest channel within Egypt’s grocery retail landscape in 2024, despite facing a more challenging operating environment. Intensified competition from modern grocery formats, particularly discounters and supermarkets, has led to growing pressure on traditional outlets. These formats are expanding rapidly, offering diversified private label assortments and more standardised pricing. In addition, small grocers have come under greater regulatory sc

Small local grocers in the UK faced a challenging 2024, with both sales and outlet numbers experiencing a decline, in line with the channel’s weak performance over the previous two years. Local consumers continued to shift towards larger grocery formats, discounters, and online grocery shopping, seeking convenience and potential cost savings. Convenience store chains and discounters expanded their footprint in urban and suburban areas, further squeezing the share of small local grocers. In addit

Small local grocers in Denmark continue to operate as a niche area of grocery retailing, despite the relatively high number of outlets present across the country. Small local grocers in Denmark are often family-owned or independent stores that cater to local communities, offering convenience and personalised service. However, their share of the overall grocery market steadily declined over the review period. As of 2024, small local grocers only accounted for 3% of value sales in terms of grocery

Small local grocers saw modest current value growth in Ukraine in 2024. However, the channel continued to lose out to more modern retail formats, as the structural challenges facing this channel deepened under ongoing wartime conditions. While a modest rebound in consumer demand was visible in urban areas, small independent grocery stores continued to lose share. Consumers increasingly turned to convenience stores and supermarkets, which offered broader product assortments, lower prices, and bet

Small local grocers in the Czech Republic registered slight decreases in retail current value sales and outlets in 2024. Amid fluctuating performances during the review period, retail current value sales and outlet numbers of small local grocers were below the 2019 pre-COVID-19 level in 2024. These traditional grocery retailers suffer from a suboptimal value proposition amid the development of modern grocery retailing in the market. Because of the increasing demand for value for money and lower-

In 2024, small local grocers in Japan faced notable declines in value sales, number of outlets, and sales area. These downturns occurred against a backdrop of rising prices for most products due to inflation. The decrease in value sales for small local grocers can largely be attributed to a reduction in the number of stores. As urbanisation progressed, many businesses in regional cities closed, while economic difficulties made it challenging to open new stores. This combination of factors signif

In 2024, small local grocers in Slovakia experienced a decline in retail value sales, largely due to strong competition from larger, modern retail chains. These bigger players continued to drive aggressive price competition and heavily promoted their offers through smartphone apps, social media, and TV campaigns, which negatively impacted the performance of small local grocers. The availability of private label products in larger store formats, such as supermarkets and discounters, also created

Small local grocers in South Korea continued to experience declines in both current value sales and outlet numbers in 2024, as shifting consumer habits have been reshaping the retail landscape. Small local grocers are struggling to retain customers, as modern shoppers prioritise speed, convenience, and digital retail experiences. The rise of retail channels such as retail e-commerce and convenience stores has significantly impacted small local grocers, reducing foot traffic to such outlets, as a

Small local grocers in Australia experienced mid-digit value growth during the previous two years, but 2024 witnessed close to stagnation, underperforming compared to supermarkets. This reflected the difficulties that operators of small local grocers have been experiencing when trying to compete with the incumbent supermarkets in Australia, Coles and Woolworths. In addition, consumers who value convenience over other factors tend to choose to shop at their local supermarket instead of small loca

Small local grocers in Singapore, commonly known as Mama shops, saw sales continue to struggle in 2024. Such stores once thrived by establishing close relationships with neighbourhood residents, acting not only as convenient grocery suppliers but also as informal social hubs where patrons engaged in casual conversation with proprietors. Situated within older and more mature residential estates, Mama shops have long been a familiar part of the urban landscape, representing the early stages of Sin

Small local grocers registered further current value growth in Indonesia in 2024, though some way below the level seen in the previous year. The category, meanwhile, witnessed stagnation in terms of outlet numbers. The weakening of consumer purchasing power was a key reason for the deceleration of value growth in the category. Lower-income consumers, the main consumer base for small local grocers, were particularly impacted by the challenging economic conditions prevailing towards the end of the

The number of small local grocers present in Saudi Arabia continues to decline, as the country’s modern grocery landscape expands and develops. Initially this trend was driven by changes in government policies like Saudization which has been forcing many foreign owned operators out of business. More recently, the decline in the traditional channel has been accelerated by the shift in consumer shopping patterns, with a growing preference for modern retailers and e-commerce. When it comes to groce

Small local grocers in Hong Kong struggled in 2024 with declining value sales. An increase in rent in the city, combined with lower footfall, resulted in a 2% value sales decline during the year, with the number of outlets in the channel also falling. Northbound, cross-border shopping is a challenge. Many local consumers prefer to shop in Shenzhen rather than in Hong Kong due to the more competitive prices.

In the face of higher costs and inflationary pressures, small local grocers in New Zealand have struggled to keep up with big corporates in the supermarket channel. Small local grocers are unable to make losses on products the same way supermarket giants can, so tend to pass on any increase in production costs to the end customer, resulting in less competitive prices. Value sales declined in 2024 with outlets numbers also contracting in this year. The higher price of goods and services caused co

In 2024, small local grocers in Vietnam continued to feel increasing pressure under growing pressure from modern grocery retailers such as chained convenience stores, including GS25, and smaller supermarkets like WinMart+ or Bach Hoa Xanh. These modern outlets benefit from economies of scale, which allow them to keep prices low and offer frequent promotions. They also provide air-conditioned, well-maintained, and well-lit store environments with dining areas, appealing to consumers seeking comfo

Small local grocers faced a slump in value sales in Portugal in 2024, attributed to strong competition from other grocery channels which are better aligned to adapt to consumers’ evolving shopping habits. While small local grocers may be able to offer the convenience of proximity and a personal service, they simply do not have the space to offer wide ranges of products, or the ability to offer low prices as per many other retail channels. Indeed, smaller players find it difficult to efficiently