Democratic Republic of Congo flag Democratic Republic of Congo: Buying and Selling

The distribution network in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Evolution of the Sector: Currently, there are no reliable figures about the size of the retail market in the Democratic Republic of Congo. According to a study by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), 85% of foodstuff in the country is still purchased in the traditional system (proximity stores, small kiosks, etc.). Though the presence of retail chains has been increasing in recent years, in the future traditional shops are expected to maintain their prominent role: by 2040, they are projected to make up between 50 to 70% of the market.
Most supermarket chains in the Democratic Republic of Congo are local, with the exception of the South African Shoprite, which opened a store in the capital Kinshasa in 2012. In fact, foreign retail chains (especially the English-speaking ones) see the business environment in the DRC as very challenging, due to the regulatory constraints, corruption, and difficulties with the French language. Weak infrastructure and the large size of the country also complicate products distribution.
Market share: The main retail chains in the DRC are:
Alimentation Express
Shoprite
Hyper Psaro
City Market
Extra Food
Megastore
Supermarché First
Jambo Mart
Retail Sector Organisations: Fédération des Entreprises du Congo (FEC)

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