The distribution network in the United States

Evolution of the Sector

The National Retail Federation (NRF) has forecast retail sales growth of between 2.7% and 3.7% for 2025, reaching an estimated total of £5.42 trillion. Although this growth is considered positive, it marks a slowdown compared to the previous year and is in line with the pre-pandemic average. This growth is mainly driven by e-commerce, which continues to outperform in-store sales (+10% versus +2%).

The main trends in the sector are as follows:

Dominance of e-commerce and omnichannel retailing: E-commerce continues to gain market share, and the mobile experience has become a key factor in shopping convenience. Retailers are investing heavily in the convergence of sales channels, offering options such as ‘buy online, pick up in-store’ (BOPIS) to meet consumer expectations.

Adoption of technology: Artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) are increasingly being used to optimise supply chains, reduce excess inventory (by up to 40% thanks to AI) and create personalised and interactive shopping experiences.

Changing purchasing behaviour: Consumers are more volatile and mindful of their spending. There is increased demand for private label brands, which offer more attractive prices, as well as growing attention to sustainability and local sourcing, although this trend has seen a slight decline.

The influence of major players: Giants such as Amazon and Walmart continue to dominate the market, capturing a large share of the sector's growth.

The U.S. is the ultimate test market for exporters and is open to all kinds of new products and technologies. However, it is very spread out geographically and new products are subject to intense competition. The U.S. market is thus very demanding and requires a considerable amount of preparation, groundwork and long-term consistency. Numerous opportunities for growth exist in the U.S. retail market for retail providers of all sizes, including individual direct marketers or direct sellers, small- to medium-sized franchise unit owners, and large "big-box" store operators.

Market share

The supermarket and grocery stores industry reached USD 728.86 billion in 2020, growing at a rate of 10.1% compared to 2019 (Census Bureau, latest data available). Market segmentation is drawn along various lines, including age group, ethnic group and even social and religious groups, which has forced distributors to adapt their strategies to this situation. One of the most marked consequences of this absence of homogeneity is the emergence in the past few years of "Specialty Stores" (Home Depot, Best Buy, etc.). Specialty food stores represent 2.8% of total food and beverage stores sales (Census Bureau, latest data available). American consumers stand out for their demanding nature, the importance they attach to price and their product disloyalty. It is thus incumbent upon distributors to continuously adapt themselves to the market and to engage in well-targeted marketing efforts in order to win consumer loyalty. According to the latest figures by USDA, grocery stores, including supermarkets and smaller grocery stores (except convenience stores) accounted for the largest share of store sales (92.1%), followed by convenience stores without gasoline (4.6%). Specialized food stores, including meat and seafood markets, produce markets, retail bakeries, and candy and nut stores, accounted for the remaining 3.3% of the total.

According to NRF latest data (2022), the main retailers in US are:
•    Walmart, with a turnover of $538.15 billions in retail sales
•    Amazon.com ($330.20 billion)
•    Schwarz Group ($158.58 billion)
•    Aldi ($134.67 billion)
•    Costco ($187.16 billion)

Retail Sector Organisations

National Retail Federation
Convenience Distribution Association (CDA)
International Council Shopping Centres
The Association for Convenience and Fuel Retailing (NACS)

Any Comment About This Content? Report It to Us.

E-commercePrevious

NextCustoms