Asia news & analysis

As part of efforts to boost recycling and reduce packaging waste, Singapore recently announced the implementation of a SGD0.10-0.20 (US$0.07-0.14)  deposit for canned and bottled drinks by mid-2024. The deposit return points will be placed at hypermarkets and supermarkets. How does this scheme work? Here are the key facts of the scheme: A deposit of between and SGD0.10-0.20 (US$0.07-0...

Malaysia is becoming a hotspot for convenience operators. Read about the expansion plans of CU, Emart24, FamilyMart, GS25 as well as 7-Eleven Malaysia. 1. CU opens 100th store in MidValley CU, from South Korea, opened its first stores in Malaysia in 2021, after reaching a partnership with local convenience store company myNews Holdings Bhd. The retailer has already opened 50 CU stores pla...

FairPrice has opened two Finest stores two weeks apart: one a Flagship store on a busy shopping strip and another at a local neighbourhood. We visited the second store that opened last week to understand how the retailer flexes its offerings to meet the needs of a more residential target. This two-storey store in Ang Mo Kio Ave 6 covers 23,000 sq. ft., including a 40-pax seating capacity cafe o...

Vietnamese retailer Masan has launched WINLife ecosystem, a relatively new retail format in Vietnam. Its 27 new WIN stores offer a one-stop shopping destination for the purchase of various daily essentials, including grocery products and services. Source: Masan Group One-stop store format for convenience Masan positions WINLife as a “ one-stop shop ecosystem that provides consumer...

FairPrice Finest has opened a new 1,550 sq.m. store along Orchard Road this week. This is its first store in the heart of the shopping of the belt, occupying a site that used to be a Cold Storage store by DFI. We share three features that stand out in the new store. 1. The Grocer Bar and BWS Set right next to the BWS category, shoppers can enjoy a specially curated selection of wines, beer,...

With coffee consumption in South Korea nearly triple the global average, and an estimated one coffee shop for every 600 people in the country, the market offers great inspiration for the latest coffee trends and innovations. Here’s three things that caught our eye on a recent visit to Seoul. Robots at the ready Dilly was one of a variety of service robots we spotted in Incheon Internatio...

Vietnam's Bach Hoa Xanh, part of Mobile World Investment Corp, is exploring sale of up to 20% of its chain of convenience stores. Deal likely to be completed in 2023 The business is expected to be valued at more than US$1.5bn and will likely attract interest from local and international retailers. The proceeds will be used to expand the retailer's distribution network, upgrade technology an...

DFI will kick start a commitment to provide a million meals to the less fortunate in Singapore across two years. “Have you eaten” initiative The group will contribute a percentage of its revenue from the sale of its Meadows brand of rice from any Giant, Cold Storage or CS Fresh stores towards the programme. The goal is to provide one million meals in food donated, supported by its ongoing s...

While the landscape of labour shortages and rising costs varies across the region, convenience retailers are experimenting with a range of new solutions to tackle their resource challenges. Robots employed to restock at FamilyMart FamilyMart has partnered with start-up Telexistence to introduce stock-checking robots to 300 stores in Japan. The Japan Times reports that each robot can repla...

The German retailer has announced plans to open hundreds of shops in Shanghai and wants to expand into other Chinese cities. Major expansion plans revealed Aldi Süd plan to expand its physical store network in China into the hundreds, with Shanghai its first major target. The retailer has 26 stores in the city, following its entry into the physical market in 2019. Cities in the Yangtze Delt...