Hypermarkets in Crisis: The Relentless Decline of Non-Food Sales
Parijs, vrijdag, 13 juni 2025.
European hypermarkets are facing a structural challenge that has persisted for over a decade. The ongoing decline in non-food sales is not a temporary trend, but a fundamental shift in the retail sector. Consumer preferences are transforming radically, with online platforms and specialised stores increasingly taking market share from traditional hypermarkets. Experts point to changing spending patterns, increasing digital competition, and a shift in purchasing behaviour as underlying causes for this systematic shrinkage. The implications for retailers are far-reaching and require a fundamental reconsideration of their current business models.
The Structural Crisis in Non-Food Sales
The retail sector is facing an inexorable trend where hypermarkets are losing ground in non-food sales. According to expert Olivier Dauvers, this decline has been ongoing for more than ten years, indicating a fundamental shift in consumer behaviour [4]. In recent years, hypermarkets have been experiencing a continuous decline in sales outside the food sector, a phenomenon not limited to a single region but extending across Europe [1][4].
Digital Transformation as a Catalyst
Online platforms and specialised stores are steadily gaining ground compared to traditional hypermarkets [3]. Consumer preferences are shifting radically, with an increasing preference for specialised and digital purchasing channels. The rise of e-commerce has fundamentally changed how consumers shop, forcing hypermarkets to reconsider their business model [1][4].
Challenges for the Retail Sector
The Procos federation, specialising in retail research, signals that sectors such as household appliances and personal equipment are particularly significantly impacted by this downward trend [2]. Sales figures show a worrying decline, with hypermarkets becoming increasingly less attractive to consumers seeking more specific and targeted shopping experiences [1][2].