Increased investment
Leading retailers are investing heavily in new stores. Last year, the number of modern retail increased by 13%, in line with the region’s growth over the past decade.
The Philippines and Malaysia experienced the highest level of activity in modern retail openings in Southeast Asia. However, traditional retail still accounts for the lion’s share of grocery spending across the region, and Nielsen forecasts it will continue to do so in the years to come, remaining as high as 40% in 2020.