Grocery Stores & Supermarkets Industry Profile

Companies in this industry primarily retail a general line of food such as canned and frozen foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as prepared meats, fish, and poultry. Major companies in the industry include Costco, Kroger, Target, and Walmart (all based in the US), as well as foreign companies such as Aeon (Japan); Aldi, Kaufland, and Lidl (all based in Germany); Carrefour (France); and Tesco (the UK).

The global grocery retail market is projected to have an additional $2.2 trillion by 2024, according to research firm IGD. Asia is projected to account for nearly 50% of all new global grocery retail sales generated between 2019 and 2024. North America and Europe are some of the other leading players in the global grocery retail market.

Companies in this industry operate retail stores that offer a general selection of food products. Discount stores and warehouse clubs, which are leading sellers of groceries, are covered in separate industry profiles.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Consumer migration online has grocers racing to increase their online presence, while online players -- including Amazon and China's Alibaba -- are trying out brick-and-mortar retail. Fierce competition, particularly at the high and low ends of the market, and cost advantages enjoyed by online retailers have sparked supermarket price wars, which benefit consumers but threaten to erase the grocery industry's razor-thin profit margins.

The global grocery delivery market is expected to reach more than $1.1 ...