Summary

The retail sector in the Philippines has been facing challenging times in the study period, which got worsen due to the sudden COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of forms of physical retail, including supermarkets and convenience stores, hypermarkets, specialty stores, department stores, and other small and medium store owners around the country, are facing challenges owing to the lockdown and physical distancing measures. Due to the fear of contamination, many customers temporarily stopped visiting the stores.

However, though customers were welcome into the stores, factors such as the limited number of people in-store capacity and frequent/regular disinfection have added unexpected costs to the retailers, restricting the profits. The increased labor demand is another factor that is challenging the retailers to be active on the market. The ban on large gatherings and social events has a huge impact on occasional and seasonal sales, which are a large part of the retailing in the country. The apparel segment has been affected greatly in 2020, especially the branded and luxury players in the market who are active in apparel and footwear due to the low demand for the products.

Key Market Trends

Food and Beverages Segment Continued Recording More Revenues Even During the Pandemic

The retail industry in the Philippines is a combination of various products varying from food and beverages to electronics and appliances, furniture, and several household products. Food and beverages have been one of the leading product segments in the market, which has been in high demand in the country. The demand for food and beverages surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are considered essential items, demand for perishable goods, including vegetables, fruits, meat, health drinks, and cold beverages, as people got more time to spend at home. Following the food and beverages, the demand for several personal and household care products surged during the pandemic, helping the market to record more revenues and posted a 50% surge in revenues at the height of the pandemic. Similarly, the products that are helpful in work-from-home set-ups, such as electronic gadgets and furniture, have performed well during the year 2020.

Online Distribution Channel is Emerging in the Market

During the difficult times of COVID-19, the retail market in the Philippines was largely hit, and the demand for several luxury and comparatively high-priced items such as electronics, large appliances, and furniture was hit hard during the year 2020. As the retail stores are closed for a long time owing to the lockdown measures, the customers have started switching to the online distribution channel for their shopping needs. Though the online channel accounted for a lower share in the market during the study period, a shift in customers' approach toward the online distribution channel was observed. The total visits to various shopping applications climbed to approximately 4.9 billion during the peak of the lockdown period in the country. During Q2 2020, the total visits were up to 24% when compared to the same time the previous year, which showed a great shift in customer preferences. The trend is continued to be strong in the year and is anticipated to continue in the forecast period as well helping the segment to record more revenues.

Competitive Landscape

The report covers major players operating in the Philippine retail market. In terms of market share, few of the major players currently dominate the market. The retail market has been growing significantly with companies expanding stores and considering the business potential in new areas. Most of the unorganized retail outlets are increasingly being replaced with big retail hypermarkets, supermarkets, and other retail chains. This is expected to continue on a large scale during the forecast period.

Additional Benefits:

The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
3 months of analyst support

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