China's Retail Market is Expected to Grow by About 34% Between 2008 and 2012, to Reach a Total Value of Over RMB7.54trn.

DUBLIN, Ireland -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c84833) has announced the addition of Retailing in China 2008: A Market Analysis to their offering.

This report covers the market for retailing in China. The report covers the following sectors:

* Department stores 

* Supermarkets

* Specialist stores (including clothing and other non-food specialist stores)

* Petrol stations

* Franchise stores

* Convenience stores 

* Warehouse clubs

* Furniture stores

* Others

Based upon our own calculations of a realistic retail market size in China between 2000 and 2007, China's total retail market grew 166.44% in current terms over the review period to RMB4.93trn - representing an annual average growth rate of 14.74%.

China's retail market has broadly opened-up to foreign involvement, now permitted by the government, but there are still restrictions on retailing of certain goods, notably books and other media, and most foreign retailers are finding it hard to make any profit. International companies have established numerous local partnerships over the years, many now being bought out by foreign parties eager to take full control of their Chinese operations. Meanwhile, Chinese companies are becoming increasingly competitive in response to the foreign entrants, often undercutting their competitors to the point of loss-making.

China's retail market continues to develop rapidly. New chain store networks and shopping malls are emerging outside the top three cities of Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai as retailers extend their reach to other first-tier cities, and now many second- and third-tier cities. There is aggressive consolidation in the market, as larger operators swallow up smaller players, while there are equally significant numbers of failures, both retail companies and shopping malls.

China's retail market is expected to grow by about 34% between 2008 and 2012, to reach a total value of over RMB7.54trn.

This report also includes much discussion of what Access Asia considers to be the key issues for retailing in 2008, these being property prices, product prices and pay prices: the "Three Ps" as we have termed them. All the new regulations, along with the rising costs of operation anyway, and the wider macroeconomic issues, are all combining to push retailer costs up, while margins are continuing to be squeezed. 2008 will be a tough year for retailers in China, and narrow profit margins are going to tighten further as the impact of regulations, such as the new packaging laws, come into effect. Tougher times ahead in the Chinese retail market, perhaps, but all things are relative, and the market is still growing very fast, even if slower than before, and new markets are opening up in the interior provinces.

KEY REPORT FEATURES

This newly updated Access Asia report covers:

* The total, regional and sector value for retail sales, including urban/rural and food/non-food splits, up to the end of 2007;

* Statistical data on leading retailer market shares by sales in China up to 2006;

* Market data for each key provincial and urban region, in terms both of volume retail trade and the value of the local economy, up to 2007;

* Value forecast retail market, up to 2012;

* Key current issues, and discursive analysis of the key factors affecting the market;

* The domestic industry examined by key statistical indicators, including number of outlets, floorspace, staff number and turnover, by sector, by province and by key city;

* Overview of China's demographics and macroeconomics.

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c84833