Quick Take — China falls in love with American-style wholesale shopping at Sam’s Club (Walmart)

despite trade tensions in the US Walmart’s warehouse chain reaches the tipping point to become one of the fastest growing foreign retailers in the country…

Although economic momentum has slowed in China, Sam’s Club’s revenue grew more than 40 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter, as consumers flocked to the stores for their low prices and bulk purchases…

Walmart’s sales in China rose 17 per cent to $20 billion in the last fiscal year. Eight of Sam’s Club shops are each expected to record half a billion dollars in sales this year, Walmart China CEO Christina Zhu told investors in April…

Half of Walmart’s sales in China take place online, compared to less than 20 per cent in the US. To fulfill e-commerce orders, China CEO Zhu described Sam’s Club locations as “mother clubs” that accumulate goods for networks of eight to 15 delivery hubs serving dense neighbourhoods within a three-mile radius…

About Sam’s Club discounters read here.

Quick Take — Carrefour Italy announces a ‘strategic reorganisation plan for its headquarters’

‘Employment impacts’ for 175 employees

On this subject, read this article, an excerpt of which I enclose: Carrefour is reported to have begun negotiations with Conad, Lidl and Esselunga to sell off the entire network (the news is confirmed by Repubblica on 6 July 2025: ‘ The decision is closely linked to the complexity of market conditions in Italy, where the large-scale retail sector is characterised by intense and fragmented competition, declining purchasing power and constant pressure on margins, caused by energy and logistics costs and rising interest rates’). Then there is the squeeze of the discounters that are advancing and there are the hypermarkets that continue to retreat.

Compiled 5 July, updated 6 July 2025

US: inflation-weary consumers stock up on discount stores

As in France and Italy, inflation due to Covid – 19 in the US has left deep traces that have favoured the development of discount formulas, albeit with very different approaches and sales methods. US consumers are also experiencing the political uncertainty sown by the tariffs wanted by Donald Trump. Box stores (wholesale discounters) are depopulating in the US, driven by concerns about the high cost of living. Chris Nichols , CEO of Sam’s Club (Walmart’s box store chain) predicts ‘difficult times’ for the US economy

Quick Take — Rome: discounters at 24.6%

The supermarket model, in Lazio, is the pivot on which the entire distribution machine revolves: with 6.52 billion euro turnover (6.9%), it now covers 55.1% of the market, marking an increase of 2.12 percentage points in share compared to the previous year. A confirmation of the centrality of this format in a city that rewards proximity and frequency of purchase.

discounters continue their run, recording a 6.1% increase in turnover to EUR 2.91 billion, with a market share of almost 24.6%. This confirms that, even in a metropolitan context, price remains one of the main purchasing drivers, especially in times of inflation…

Conad and Selex leaders. Eurospin follows. Hypermarkets are doing badly.