Online Grocery Retailing - UK  

“In 2019 growth slowed for the fourth consecutive year in the online grocery market, as the sector continues to struggle to reach new customers with much of the growth in the market coming from existing users. The start to 2020 has seen growth rapidly accelerate due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the legacy of which will be opening up the online grocery market to large numbers of customers who may not have shopped for groceries online before.”

– Nick Carroll, Associate Director of Retail Research

Convenience Stores - US  

"While fuel sales generate as much as two thirds of total convenience stores revenue and remain a core traffic driver, c-store operators are increasingly turning their attention to in-store categories as the most direct path to increased sales and profits. Still, convenience stores face considerable challenges in categories like foodservice and packaged foods and beverages, where consumer preferences are changing and the competition is growing more intense."

• Health Food Retailing - UK  
  Health Food Retailing - UK

  
• Accessorising the Home - UK  
  Accessorising the Home - UK

  

  “Spending grew again in 2019; however, the market is increasingly split into two; a divide increasingly characterised by age. The newer dynamic demand for trend-driven home accessories, favoured by younger shoppers as a means of affordable personalisation, continues to open avenues for growth. However, the next few years will be more uncertain; the impact of COVID-19 is likely to lead to a slowdown in expenditure in the short term as consumer confidence is impacted which will have a knock-on impact on the housing market, and wider spending on the home, which could be significant depending on the duration of the outbreak .”
• European Retail Briefing  
  European Retail Briefing

  

  This month's European retail briefing includes:

  • Analyst comment on Impact of COVID-19 on Italian retailing
  • An overview of the latest European Retail sales
  • Highlights of the latest Retail trend observations across Europe.
  • Monthly headlines and retail news across Europe.
• UK Retail Briefing  
  UK Retail Briefing

  

  This month's UK Retail Briefing includes the following:

  • An Analyst comment - Impact of COVID-19 on the grocery retail sector
  • An overview of the latest UK Retail sales.
  • Sector Focus - Household goods retailing
  • Highlights of the latest UK Retail trend observations
  • Monthly UK retail news headlines and analysis
• Athleisure Brands - China  
  Athleisure Brands - China

  

  “Athleisure has been popular for the past five years, and there is no sign of it falling out of favour. Although leading athleisure brands have seen an economic hit during the recent coronavirus outbreak, the negative impact is likely to be temporary as Chinese urbanites are getting more health-conscious and increasing demand for all-round sportswear. Facing the challenge from fashion brands and luxury brands in the athleisure market, sportswear brands remain very competitive in brand equity, product design, and professional athletic apparel. Sports brands are leading in meeting the consumer needs for comfort and good fit.”– Summer Xia, Research Analyst
• Car Purchasing Process - UK  
  Car Purchasing Process - UK

  

  “Car purchasing continued to suffer during 2019 with sales of both new and used cars continuing to decline. The situation is set to get worse in the short-term as COVID-19 impacts on the market during 2020 although an improvement is expected thereafter. Going forward, understanding the polarisation taking place in the market and how to attract buyers to alternative technologies in the face of a future ban on petrol and diesel will be critical for manufacturers and sellers.”
• Convenience Store Foodservice - US  
  Convenience Store Foodservice - US

  

  Convenience store foodservice sales continued to struggle in 2019, with slow growth predicted over the next five years. The largest factors contributing to the slow growth are fast food and retail competitors,from chicken chains to mobile-based retailers. C-stores will need to look beyond core foodservice programs such as coffee and the roller grill to remain relevant, especially among their important young customers.
• Online and Mobile Retailing - Ireland  
  Online and Mobile Retailing - Ireland

  

  “The online market continues to grow in Ireland gaining its share of the wider retail market. The growth in mobile commerce is helping to boost online sales while also impacting the ownership of other internet-enabled devices including laptop/tablets etc. The advanced capabilities of smartphones coupled with the rollout of 5G in 2019/20, means we are also likely to see more online shopping out of home.”– Emma McGeown, Research Analyst
• Drug Stores - US  
  Drug Stores - US

  

  "US drug store revenues will exceed $300 billion this year. While the channel has consistently posted gains, the pace of growth is projected to slow down in light increased competition from outside the channel and a shifting consumer preference toward generic drugs over name brands. With new partnerships and new management in tow, all traditional drug store chains are in the midst of change. While they are all executing differently, they share a common focus around expanding product offerings and services within and beyond the pharmacy and digitizing operations. Drug stores are trying to stay relevant in the current landscape to mitigate channel leakage, while still looking ahead to prepare for what disruption by Amazon might look like in the future."
• Christmas Gift Buying - UK  
  Christmas Gift Buying - UK

  

  “A combination of political and economic uncertainty, a later-falling Black Friday and continued growth in online created a uniquely challenging trading environment for retailers to contend with in 2019 and produced the slowest growth within the sector for four years. Whilst some elements of the lead-up to 2019 were, hopefully, one-offs, the changing attitudes towards gifting during Christmas are not, which poses longer-term challenges for those tapping into Christmas gift giving."– Nick Carroll, Associate Director of Retail Research
• Electrical Goods Retailing - UK  
  Electrical Goods Retailing - UK

  

  “Spending on electricals rose again in 2019. However, the marketplace is changing, marked by the contrasting trajectories of online-only and specialist retailers. Consumer demand is increasingly dictated by the widening gulf between young and old shoppers. The fluid nature of the former opened several avenues for growth in the past year; however multichannel retailers must be proactive in addressing these, or risk a generation of consumers that bypass the store altogether.”