An unlikely chain has bucked the trend: Pangdonglai, with just a dozen stores in the heartland province of Henan, whose residents’ disposable income is less than one-third of their peers in Shanghai. The grocer has established the supermarket as a place that Chinese shoppers want to go — even if they don’t have to, given the ubiquity of wet markets and quick e-commerce options.
China’s major supermarkets are struggling. Carrefour has closed over 140 stores, leaving just four remaining, while Tesco has exited entirely. Walmart’s Sam’s Club, a successful membership chain, stands out and has prompted a strategic rethink for the company.
Last year, four out of five of China’s leading hypermarkets saw up to double-digit sales declines.
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