Global Powers of Retailing 2017

The 20th annual Global Powers of Retailing identifies the 250 largest retailers around the world based on publicly available data for FY2015 (encompassing companies' fiscal years ended through June 2016), and analyzes their performance across geographies, sectors, and channels. It also provides a look at the world's 50 biggest e-retailers and the 50 fastest-growing retailers.

Although the global economy struggled to gain momentum, the Global Powers of Retailing Top 250 achieved profitable growth in FY2015, generating aggregate retail revenues of US$4.31 trillion and resulting in an average size of US$17.2 billion per company.

Global Powers of Retailing 2017: The art and science of customers is much more than a list, however. Ira Kalish, Deloitte's Chief Global Economist, provides a global economic outlook, forecasting how trends – including globalization, deflation and commodity prices – will impact retail growth or disruption over the next year.

The report also discusses the art and science of customer engagement to help retailers design fresh experiences, enabled by the right technology, and strengthen customer loyalty. While the five trends discussed are not new, what is interesting for 2017 is that what was once futuristic is now table stakes. Retail innovators know technology is no longer supplemental to the shopping experience, it is fundamental. Technology alone, however, is not enough. Customers are seeking new and surprising products and experiences.

The five trends identified are:

• Changing preferences: Less is more. Customers are defining themselves less by how many things they own and more by how curated their lives are in terms of possessions and experiences.
• Changing preferences: “Following” economy. Customers are seeking experiences and products that reflect the personal brand they promote on social media.
• Changing formats: “Retailization” of the world. The maker movement, the sharing economy, and other factors have made it increasingly difficult to define what a retailer is and does.
• Changing formats: On-demand shopping and fulfillment. Relevancy will be determined by the ability of retailers to meet the on-demand mindset of the modern customer.
• Changing expectations: Exponential living. Exponential technologies are changing how we live and how we will shop.

Download the full report to learn more.

Global Powers of Retailing 2016: Navigating the new digital divide

The 19th annual Global Powers of Retailing identifies the 250 largest retailers around the world based on publicly available data for fiscal 2014 (encompassing companies' fiscal years ended through June 2015), and analyzes their performance based on geographic region, product sector, e-commerce activity, and other factors. It also provides a look at the world's 50 biggest e-retailers.

Global Powers of Retailing 2015: Embracing Innovation

The 18th annual Global Powers of Retailing identifies the 250 largest retailers around the world, and analyzes their performance based on geographic region, product sector, e-commerce activity, and other factors. It also provides a look at the world's 50 biggest e-retailers. In addition, the report considers strategies retailers are taking to cope with disruptive change in the industry, provides an overview of the global economy and how it will impact the retail sector, and discusses "Q Ratio" which is a way of measuring non-tangible business assets.

The 18th annual Global Powers of Retailing identifies the 250 largest retailers around the world based on publicly available data for fiscal 2013 (encompassing companies' fiscal years ended through June 2014), and analyzes their performance based on geographic region, product sector, e-commerce activity, and other factors. It also provides a look at the world's 50 biggest e-retailers.

Global Powers of Retailing 2015: Embracing Innovation is much more than a list, however. It considers strategies retailers are taking to cope with disruptive change in the industry. Ira Kalish, Deloitte's Chief Global Economist, provides an overview of the global economy and how it will impact the retail sector. There is also a section devoted to the "Q Ratio," which is a way of measuring non-tangible business assets such as brand equity and customer loyalty.

Among the key insights included in the report:

• Five trends are reshaping retail: travel retailing, mobile retailing, faster retailing, experience retailing and innovative retailing.
• Important economic issues having a global impact on the retailing industry include shifts in U.S. monetary policy, energy production in the U.S., the crisis in Ukraine, the slowdown in Chinese investment, shifting demographics, and the influence of technology and the internet.
• Retailers of food and other fast-moving consumer goods continue to dominate the Top 250 in number and size of companies.
• International expansion remains an important growth strategy for many retailers.
• Despite rapid growth in the e-commerce arena, only two pure-play e-retailers were large enough to rank among the Top 250.
• U.S.-based retailers account for a disproportionate share of those that have generated considerable value through their non-tangible assets; Japanese retailers, on the other hand, account for a disproportionate share of those that do not.

Download the full report to learn more.