Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) Boom in Pakistan's $152 Billion Retail Market

Surging demand for fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) in Pakistan is attracting hundreds of millions of dollars of new investments. Expanding middle class, particularly millennials with rising disposable incomes, is demanding branded and packaged consumer goods ranging from personal and baby care items to food and beverage products.  Rapid growth in sales of consumer products and services is driving other sectors, including retail, e-commerce, paper and packaging, advertising, media, sports and entertainment. Planet Retail estimates Pakistan's current retail market size at $152 billion. It is forecast to expand 8.2% a year through 2016-2021 as average disposable income has doubled since 2010, according to research group Euromonitor International as reported by Bloomberg News.

New FMCG Investments:

Dutch consumer giant Unilever has announced plans to invest $120 million to expand its operations in Pakistan. Turkish multinational Hayat Kimya has said it will invest $150 million to manufacture consumer products in the country. Earlier in 2016, Dutch dairy giant FrieslandCampina acquired 51 % of Karachi-based Engro Foods Limited for $220 million.

Rapid growth in sales of consumer products and services is driving other sectors, including retail, e-commerce, paper and packaging, advertising, media, sports and entertainment.

Retail Sales:

Rising incomes of Pakistanis are reflected in the retail sales growth which is ranked the fastest in the world.  Planet Retail estimates Pakistan's current retail market size at $152 billion. It is forecast to expand 8.2% a year through 2016-2021 as disposable income has doubled since 2010, according to research group Euromonitor International as reported by Bloomberg News. The size of the middle class is expected to surpass that of the U.K. and Italy in the forecast period, it said.

Retail Sales Growth. Source: Bloomberg


E-Commerce:


Online sales are growing much faster than the brick-and-mortar retail sales. Adam Dawood of Yayvo online portal estimates that e-tail sales are doubling every year. He expects them to pass $1 billion in the current fiscal year (2017-18), two years earlier than the previous forecast. This is being enabled by increasing broadband penetration and new online payment options. Ant Financial, an Alibaba subsidiary, has just announced the purchase of 45% stake in Pakistan-based Telenor Microfinance Bank. Bloomberg is reporting that Alibaba is in serious talks to buy Daraz.pk, an online retailer in Pakistan.

Advertising Revenue:

Growing buying power of rapidly expanding middle class in Pakistan drove the nation's media advertising revenue up 14% to a record Rs. 76.2 billion ($727 million), making the country's media market among the world's fastest growing for FY 2015-16, according to Magna Research.  Half of this ad spending (Rs. 38 billion or $362 million) went to television channels while the rest was divided among print, outdoor, radio and digital media. `

Global Advertising Growth 2016. Source: Magna

Digital media spending rose 27% in 2015-16 over prior year, the fastest of all the media platforms. It was followed by 20% increase in radio, 13% in television, 12% in print and 6% in outdoor advertising, according to data published by Aurora media market research

Mass Media Growth:

Advertising revenue has fueled media boom in Pakistan since early 2000s when Pakistan had just one television channel, according to the UK's Prospect Magazine. Today it has over 100. This boom has transformed the nation. The birth of privately owned commercial media has been enabled by the Musharraf-era deregulation, and funded by the tremendous growth in revenue from advertising targeted at the burgeoning urban middle class consumers.

Sports and Entertainment:

Sports and entertainment sectors are major beneficiaries of increasing advertising budgets. Commercial television channels' shows and serials are supported by advertisers. A quick look at Pakistan Super League 2018 matches reveals that all major consumer brand names are either directly sponsoring or buying advertising from broadcasters.  These ads and sponsorship have turned PSL into a major business producing tens of millions of dollars in revenue to support cricket in Pakistan.  Last year, Pakistan Cricket Board's budget was over $40 million and a big chunk of it came from PSL. This year, the PSL chairman Najam Sethi estimates the PSL franchise valuation is approaching half a billion US dollars with potentially significant revenue upside.

Downsides of Consumer Boom:

There are a couple of downsides of the consumer boom. First,  a dramatic increase in solid waste. Second, rising consumption could further depress Pakistan's already low private savings rate.

FMCG products come with a significant amount of plastic and paper packaging that contribute to larger volume of trash. This will necessitate a more modern approach to solid waste disposal and recycling in Pakistani towns and cities. An absence of these systems will make the garbage situation much worse. It will pose increased environmental hazards.

Pakistan's savings rate is already in teens, making it among the lowest in the world. Further decline could hurt investments necessary for faster economic growth.

Summary: 

Pakistan's $152 billion retail market is the fastest growing in the world, according to Euromonitor.  Expanding middle class, particularly millennials with rising disposable incomes, is demanding branded and packaged consumer goods ranging from personal and baby care items to food and beverage products. Strong demand for fast moving consumer goods is drawing large new investments of hundreds of millions of dollars.  Rapid growth in sales of consumer products and services is driving other sectors, including retail, e-commerce, paper and packaging, advertising, media, sports and entertainment. Potential downsides of soaring consumption include increased amount of  solid waste and decline in domestic savings and investment rates.

Related Links:

Haq's Musings

Pakistan Retail Sales Growth

Advertising Revenue in Pakistan

Pakistan FMCG Market

The Other 99% of Pakistan Story

PSL Cricket League Revenue

E-Commerce in Pakistan

Fintech Revolution in Pakistan

Mobile Broadband Speed in Pakistan

Comments

Riaz Haq said…
#Pakistan '#GDP rate rose to 5.8% in FY17-18': Pakistan's #economy grows at fastest rate in 13 years. Large Scale #Manufacturing up 6.13%. #Agriculture grew at a rate of 3.81%, while #industries and #services grew 5.8% and 6.43% respectively.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1403805/gdp-grew-58pc-in-fy17-18-ahsan-miftah-unveil-pakistan-economic-survey

"Energy, economy, elimination of extremism and education were the 'four Es' that we had discussed in our manifesto," Ahsan Iqbal said.

"We created two plans ─ one was an immediate plan, the other was our Vision 2025," he explained.

The PML-N government faced "major constraints and bottlenecks as a development framework was not present," he said.

Despite this, the government had, over the last five years, allocated Rs47 billion to higher education, built 1,750 kilometres in motorways, and added 11,000 MegaWatts to the power grid.

"We provided energy to industries so that the economy could grow. Record demand has been generated from [an increase in] energy in Pakistan."

"The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a reality today. Of a total investment of $46bn, $39bn is being used to build roads and infrastructure."

"We have used our own budget to curb terrorism, financing Operations Zarb-i-Azb and Raddul Fasaad," he said.

Miftah Ismail said the government couldn't "possibly have given a budget for just three months."

"What were we supposed to do? Raise salaries for three months, tell India to stop LoC firing for three months, and reduce taxes for three months? That is not how economics works. If we were to do this, it would have been a disservice to our country and we would not have been doing our jobs," he said.

"The day the next government comes, it it has the right to change whatever it wants in the budget. Also, Ahsan Iqbal has left a Rs100bn block for the next government to spend on development as they please. 95pc of the same expenditures are faced by every government. Each government has to pay salaries and so on," he said.

"You will see that all provinces will give their budget too, even though they are busy playing politics on the matter at the moment," Ismail added.

Iqbal said: "The provinces have to give a budget that is based on expenditures. They are given revenues which mostly come from the federal government. The federal government has to define the country's economic policy for the next year. Through this, the industrialist decides the cost of production. How can we leave them without a budget?"

The gross domestic product (GDP) grew at a rate of 5.8 per cent over the past year, Iqbal revealed, narrowly missing the PML-N's manifesto target of at least 6pc.

"We would have achieved 6.1pc without political turmoil," he explained. "This is compared to an average of 3pc GDP growth" before the PML-N came to power in 2013.

The momentum of growth remained above 5pc for the last two years running, reaching a 13-year high of 5.8pc in FY17-18 on the back of "strong performance in the agriculture, industrial and service sectors", Iqbal said.

Agriculture grew at a rate of 3.81pc, while industries and services grew 5.8pc and 6.43pc respectively, he announced.

The agri sector, saw the highest growth over the last 13 years, Iqbal said, explaining that the growth was achieved "on the back of initiatives such as expansion in credit to the sector, along with the Kissan Package, provision of better quality seeds including hybrid and high-yield varieties, and timely availability of agriculture inputs such as fertiliser, pesticides, etc."
Riaz Haq said…
THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE > BUSINESS
ADB says ‘no need to panic’ over Pakistan’s economy
By Maidah Haris Published: May 4, 2018

https://tribune.com.pk/story/1701893/2-adb-says-no-need-panic-pakistans-economy/

MANILA: Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) former country director Werner Liepach said Pakistan will not need a bailout package as its economy was doing well, adding that there was no need to panic even as the current account deficit widens and foreign exchange reserves continue to fall.

Addressing a media briefing at the 51st Annual Meeting of the ADB Board of Governors in Manila, Liepach said remittances continue to remain strong and would help meet external sector challenges.

“Things are pretty much okay,” said Liepach. Overseas workers’ remittances touched a seven-month high at $1.77 billion in March 2018, which came on back of the second round of rupee devaluation, he added.

In its latest quarterly report, the State Bank of Pakistan also anticipated that the country would attract a maximum of $20.5 billion in remittances in fiscal year 2018.

Liepach, who is the director general ADB for Central and West Asia Regional Department, also maintained a positive outlook of Pakistan’s growth. He acknowledged that the budget deficit has gone up a little but it is “quite normal in election year”.

Currently, the country’s budget deficit is projected to stand at 5.5% of GDP at the end of fiscal year 2018, while SBP-held foreign exchange reserves currently amount to $11.51 billion.

Additionally, Pakistan’s current account deficit has continued to expand and the nine-month gap has increased to $12.03 billion. However, the ADB official remained optimistic.

“What’s happened is that imports have gone up quite a lot due to increased economic activity related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is not a bad thing.

“What is missing is that export growth hasn’t really gone as expected.”

He highlighted various factors that impact the growth of exports, including the overvalued exchange rate, which has been taken care of. “The latest information that I received is that exports are starting to pick up again,” he informed.

Now, due to the early rise in imports followed by late pick-up of exports, there has to be a reaction in the foreign exchange reserves, which is of concern, but Pakistan has a way of financing its reserves and “there is no need to panic”.

He added that ADB and the World Bank are not the only ones in town as Pakistan has managed to secure a loan from China. “The country is also contemplating tapping the capital markets, because the market has been responsive lately.”

Stressing on ADB’s role, Liepach said the agency always gave policy-based loans to finance structural reforms, which in no way is a bailout.
Riaz Haq said…
The dawn of advertising in Pakistan (1947-2017)
AURORA
THE 21ST CENTURY: THE AGE OF THE MILLENNIAL
HARMONISE OR GO BUST


https://www.dawn.com/news/1398497



Throughout Pakistan’s tumultuous 70-year history, the advertising sector has undergone significant changes, reflecting changing global consumer patterns as well as the development and evolution of local trends. Indeed, as a developing economy poised at the intersection of South and Central Asia and the Middle East, Pakistan’s changing advertising landscape is a witness and an archive of changing mindsets and practices, as well as of wider socio-economic trends.

Throughout these changes, Pakistan’s oldest advertising medium – Pakistan’s print industry – has continued to maintain its position not only as the source of record for news and analysis, but as a medium of choice for advertisers seeking high-impact and high-visibility solutions.

In addition to changing consumers, Pakistan’s advertising landscape has been transformed by the introduction of new media. From 1947 to date, Pakistan has witnessed the growth of radio stations and outdoor advertising options, in addition to the mushrooming of private TV stations in the last 20 years, as well as the more recent explosion of digital advertising. Indeed, as internet penetration continues to grow, particularly on mobile devices, Pakistani consumers are now irrevocably linked to the wider world.

Throughout these tectonic shifts in the media industry, the ability among audiences to access content relevant to their interests (and increasingly on the go) continues to expand further, facilitating the flow of information and ideas.

Despite the introduction of new media for content delivery, Pakistan’s print media has continued to flourish, with advertisers placing their faith in a medium that will gain them visibility and deliver results. The resilience of print advertising can be attributed to three main factors. The lack of advertisement clutter versus other media, the higher attention and engagement rate of readers and the prestige and permanence attached to advertising in print versus other media.

As print publications focus on providing easy-to-read designs centred on providing readers an engaging reading experience, newspapers and magazines are increasingly limiting the quantum of advertising per page, focusing their efforts on delivering high-quality content and maximising the visibility of insertions.

Indeed, the clutter in advertising in other media further enhances the effectiveness of print advertising – while TV commercials or radio spots may be aired a few times, their impact is limited to those moments during which they are aired. As a result, print emerges as the place of record for advertisers to announce new products or lines, driven by the permanence of a print insertion.

A large part of the resilience of print advertising can also be attributed to the dynamics of print readers compared to radio or TV audiences, because print remains (in a world increasingly focused on multi-tasking) a high-engagement medium, requiring the full attention of readers compared to more passive media. For advertisers, print advertising thus provides an opportunity to reach consumers while they give their undivided attention and focus.

As Pakistani consumers have evolved over the last 70 years, the advertising industry has kept pace, providing brands with new and innovative opportunities to target consumers. Throughout all this, with the introduction and mass availability of TV (initially restricted to a few terrestrial channels but now expanding to a multitude of cable channels) as well as the growth of digital advertising options, Pakistan’s oldest advertising medium continues to flourish.

Leveraging the hallowed relationship between readers and their morning newspaper, print continues to provide advertisers across Pakistan the opportunity to reach out and leave an impact on an engaged and loyal readership. 
Riaz Haq said…
#HongKong’s #retail chain Cheong Hing plans to enter #Pakistan. Founded in 1960, the company's line of businesses include retail sale of home-furnishings such as china, glassware, and metal-ware for kitchen and table use.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/340032-hong-kong-s-retail-chain-plans-to-enter-pakistan

Hong Kong-based companies including a retail chain store planned to enter Pakistan following a bilateral treaty signed between the two countries last year to avoid double taxation that may boost annual foreign direct investment inflows from approximately $35 million, officials said on Tuesday.


Officials at Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) said Cheong Hing Limited intends to set up retail chain stores in Pakistan and currently in talks with different stakeholders. Founded in 1960, the company's line of businesses include retail sale of home-furnishings such as china, glassware, and metal-ware for kitchen and table use.

Pakistan has witnessed arrival of some global retailers in the past few years, but local businesses still dominate the retail sector. Wholesale and retail trade accounts for around 20 percent of the country’s economy of $300 billion, according to the State Bank of Pakistan.

Analysts said liberal FDI policy for retailing along with changing buying habits would continue to provide enough opportunities to global retailers to explore Pakistan’s market for any investment and expansion plan. New chains of grocery and lifestyle stores are likely to enter primarily in urban centres, while chains of retail outlets irrespective of channel are likely to continue expand their network.

Late last year, Pakistan and Hong Kong ratified a treaty to stave off double taxation on incomes of their individuals and companies. TDAP officials said Hong Kong’s Aalpes Global Group, which is in the business of creative planning, intends to set up company in Pakistan to expand business technology.

An official said Pakistan’s mission in Hong Kong is building its connection with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan. Besides, Sino-German Safety Science and Technology Industrial Park Company intends to study information technology market, and is already in talks with the local stakeholders.

Pakistan is one of the most liberal foreign investment regimes in South Asia with 100 percent foreign equity permitted in the manufacturing and infrastructure development sectors. The country offers a number of tax incentives to FDI projects in several sectors, spanning infrastructure, electronics and information technology and telecommunication services. Hong Kong’s FDI flow to Pakistan was recorded at $34.5 million during the July 2017 to February 2018 period.
Riaz Haq said…
#Pepsi to invest $1 billion in #Pakistan. #Pepsico works with 160 #Pakistani #farmers to purchase only locally-grown #potatoes and #corn and supports 4,000 jobs while providing critical support for #rural economies . https://www.potatopro.com/node/99950

PepsiCo plans to invest US$1 billion in Pakistan over the next five years, the PepsiCo Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Asia, Middle East and North Africa (AMENA) Mike Spanos told Prime Minister Imran Khan in a meeting held in Islamabad late last month.

Mr. Spanos led a delegation of senior executives, which included Aamer Sheikh, chief financial officer, PepsiCo AMENA and Furqan Ahmed Syed, vice president and general manager, PepsiCo Pakistan. Demonstrating PepsiCo’s ongoing commitment to Pakistan, Mr Spanos discussed plans for the PepsiCo system to invest US$1 billion over the next five years.

The Prime Minister welcomed PepsiCo’s continued investment, and Mr. Spanos extended the company’s full support to the government on its socio-economic and reform agenda. The PepsiCo delegation noted the company’s appreciation for the government’s focused efforts towards providing a positive business climate for all companies operating in Pakistan.

PepsiCo has been part of the business community in Pakistan for more than fifty years. The PepsiCo system (including company-owned snacks business and franchised bottling partners and distributors) brings more than 60,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities to the citizens of Pakistan. Together, the system has invested more than US$800 million in the last five years.

As one of the nation’s leading food and beverage companies, the company works with 160 Pakistani growers to purchase only locally-grown potatoes and corn for its products such as Lay’s and Kurkure. This supports an estimated 4,000 jobs while providing critical support for rural economies and empowering farmers with critical training on sustainable farming practices.

Mr. Spanos extended an invitation to Prime Minister Imran Khan to inaugurate PepsiCo’s new snacks manufacturing facility in Multan early next year. The state-of-the-art facility represents an investment of US$66 million and is expected to create more than 1,500 direct and indirect employment opportunities for Pakistani citizens.
Riaz Haq said…
Pakistan #digital #media a threat to broadcast industry. Digital media will soon be replacing broadcast media in #Pakistan. Pak digital media credited for taking up issues that are not covered by #broadcast or #print media which adhere to different rules. https://www.asiatimes.com/2019/04/opinion/pakistans-digital-media-a-threat-to-broadcast-industry/

Last year, one of Pakistan’s most watched television news channels, Waqt News, shut down, citing financial reasons. Tribune 24/7, an English-language news channel owned by Express Media Group, one of Pakistan’s largest media conglomerates, fired more than 100 employees and shut down in a similar fashion. The fact that two news channels owned by two of Pakistan’s most well-established media groups shut down abruptly was a warning sign that more channels might shut down in the future and that digital media are set to replace Pakistan’s broadcast-media landscape.

However, what really frustrated Pakistan’s broadcast industry was when emerging digital-media outlets got the opportunity for an exclusive press conference with Finance Minister Asad Umer. This did not sit well with broadcast journalists, and they criticized the press conference and referred to digital-media journalists as “social-media activists” and “Asad Umer’s social-media team” among other things.

But their frustration was not actually regarding being unable to score an important press conference, but the fact that digital media are the future and will soon be replacing broadcast media in Pakistan. The broadcast media are engaging in an “us vs them” debate as described by the website Bolo Jawan, which commented that they are being threatened by the rising trend in digital media and, because of the financial crunch in the country, when it comes to the broadcast-media landscape, things do not look promising.

Pakistan’s digital media are credited for taking up issues that would not be otherwise covered by broadcast or print media as they adhere to different rules. This does not necessarily mean that the digital media are entirely free from restrictions, as attacks on journalists and those associated with the media are common and digital media do not get any special privileges either. Despite that, Pakistan’s digital media have touched upon topics that have often been considered taboo, such as the debate regarding the blasphemy law, normalizing relations with Israel and LGBTQIA rights. This has not saved digital media from any criticism, since Pakistan is a highly conservative country religiously and culturally, but debates regarding such topics are something the digital media need to be credited for.

There were about 44.6 million Internet users in Pakistan in 2017, with an Internet penetration rate of 21.8%. Those numbers are expected to rise in coming years. It might look like a dark future for the state of the broadcast industry, but in order to keep up with the rising trend of digital media, broadcasters must quickly immerse themselves in the country’s digital-media landscape, as print did when broadcast media were a new phenomenon. The broadcast industry does possess the resources to do so, but if it fails to take steps, people serving in that industry will suffer, and no amount of criticism of digital media will be able to save them.


Riaz Haq said…
#Carrefour’s #ecommerce service to be launched in #Pakistan in 2020. Carrefour is already running e-commerce platforms in 10 of 14 countries it operates in. It's 7 #supermarkets in #Karachi, #Lahore, #Islamabad, #Faisalabad https://www.brecorder.com/2019/06/21/504665/carrefours-e-commerce-service-to-be-launched-by-next-year//

BR Research: It has been ten years since Carrefour came to Pakistan. Please walk us through the journey so far.

Gyu Taeg Kim: I’d like to start off with an introduction of our group Majid Al Futtaim which is the leading shopping mall, communities, retail and leisure pioneer across the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Majid Al Futtaim holds the exclusive franchise rights to operate Carrefour in 37 countries and currently operates over 270 Carrefour stores in 15 countries. The recently announced Uganda market will be its 16th country.

Majid Al Futtaim opened its doors in Pakistan in 2009 by starting the first of its kind hypermarkets in the country called Hyperstar. Pakistan has immense potential and has a young dynamic population with an average age that is amongst the lowest in the world. The adaptation of the younger generation is much faster when it comes to embracing new retail channels. When I started off as Country Manager in January 2016, we were operating only two stores with one in Lahore and the other in Karachi. Since then it has grown to 7 hypermarkets and one supermarket with presence in Islamabad and Faisalabad as well.

In December 2018, Hyperstar was re-branded to Carrefour by Majid Al Futtaim across Pakistan. This year marks our tenth anniversary in Pakistan and since then, Majid Al Futtaim has invested Rs8 billion in Pakistan and has created 7000 jobs both directly and indirectly. We plan on providing employment to an additional 2000 people every year on the back of our expansion plans.

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BRR: What about future expansion plans?

GTK: Generally, we remain open to opportunities that will enable us to grow our footprint. We will focus on tier-2 cities in the next phase and plan to open stores in Gujranwala, Hyderabad and Multan within the next two years.

BRR: The footprint of Imtiaz Supermarket and the Al-Fatah group is growing rapidly in the supermarket segment. How do you view this competition?

GTK: The retail space in Pakistan enjoys healthy competition, which we embrace. While other retailers focus on very specific customer segments, i.e. mainly high-end customers or customers with lower spending power, categorized as C&D customers, Carrefour is able to cater to a wide variety of customer segments by offering an unbeatable choice, quality and value at the best price. At our hypermarkets we deliver a best in class shopping experience to our customers and create great moments for them every day. Our main business is consumer goods and fresh produce and in fact more than 70 percent of our total turnover is generated by these two categories.

BRR: How much is Carrefour’s market share in the modern trade space in Pakistan compared to its competitors?

GTK: In Pakistan, 20 percent of the total retail sector is modern trade, which was roughly 12 percent back in 2013. In the modern trade space, we have one of the top market shares. But if I consider it from the end consumer perspective, then we are number one followed by our local competition. We are occupying 30 percent and the remaining percentage is divided amongst our local competitors and other medium sized players.

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BRR: You mentioned that the majority of Carrefour’s revenue comes from consumer goods and fresh produce. Are you investing in the local value chain for these items?

GTK: We have increased direct purchasing from farmers and are ensuring guaranteed procurement in order to sustain prices for basic items throughout the year. The impact of Carrefour extends beyond millions of customers, to more than 700 suppliers and partners across Pakistan. This includes local farmers, manufacturers and producers.

Riaz Haq said…
#Pakistani fresh produce company announces a move into #retail with its new Go 4 Fresh stores that will stock local and imported #fruits and #vegetables, #smoothies, fresh #milk, synthetic ingredient-free ice cream, fresh fruit juices and dried fruits. http://www.fruitnet.com/asiafruit/article/180513/retail-revelation-for-iftekhar-ahmed-co-

Leading Pakistani grower-packer-exporter Ahmed & Company (IAC) has announced it will enter the retail market with a new fresh produce retail chain called Go 4 Fresh.

The stores will stock local and imported fruits and vegetables, smoothies, fresh milk, synthetic ingredient-free ice cream, fresh fruit juices and dried fruits.

This announcement was accompanied by the launch of a new brand also called “Go 4 Fresh” which will be available in both domestic and foreign markets. IAC plans to launch a range of fresh and value-added products under this brand, which will be exported to IAC’s established foreign markets spread over 30 countries.

The first Go 4 Fresh store is located in Karachi and will be formally opened on 21 December. IAC plans to open between eight and ten more stores across the city and then expand across the rest of the country.

Following this, the company will look at opening stores in the Middle East and the UK.

Waheed Ahmed, director, marketing of IAC, said these stores will benefit both consumers and growers in Pakistan by helping the local market meet the changing lifestyle requirements of the people of Pakistan.

“The company believes in giving back and in re-investing its earnings in the society to create greater employment,” Ahmed said.

“This is the right time to invest in Pakistan as the country needs revenue and employment to get out of its economic downward spiral.”
Riaz Haq said…
#Pakistan #ecommerce: 10.6% shopped online for the first time during #lockdown; 18.7% said they're ordering more online now; 16.8% said they regularly used e-commerce channels even before the #lockdown. 53.4% still buy groceries offline at physical stores. https://aurora.dawn.com/news/1143792


https://aurora.dawn.com/news/1143780/consumer-behaviour-in-covid-19

Covid-19 has changed most aspects of our lives and caused upheaval in every business imaginable – and consumer spending, one of the most important driving forces for economic growth, has been no exception. The pandemic has not only impacted some important factors that determine consumer spending, such as employment, cost of living and consumer confidence, it has also changed how consumers are spending their incomes.

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Surprisingly, while the rest of the world saw a spike in online shopping during the lockdown (groceries mainly), in Pakistan 53.4% still purchased groceries from physical stores. Only 10.6% used an online channel to buy an item for the first time although 18.7% said they are ordering more online now; 16.8% said they regularly used e-commerce channels for their purchases even before the lockdown. Nearly 12% said they were willing to try online shopping for the first time but had not done it yet. (7.5% said they did not have the option to shop online in their respective cities or areas). The most common items purchased online include clothes (9.8%), hand sanitizers (9.3%), masks (7.9%), electronic appliances (6.2%), meat/poultry (6%) and gloves (5%).

While the lockdown has seen a surge in internet banking globally, in Pakistan only 5.9% downloaded banking apps or used online banking services for the first time during the lockdown; 22.5% said they are not using online banking channels while 4.7% said they would like to try in the near future. Nearly 66% respondents who said they use online banking channels stated that they had been doing so even before the lockdown.
Riaz Haq said…
The changing world means changing spending patterns and living habits at home as well as abroad. Pakistan is now the world’s fastest-growing retail market, partly thanks to the fact that disposable income has doubled since 2010. The number of retail stores, which is forecast to rise by 50 per cent between 2017 and 2021, is also being driven by the two-thirds of the populace under the age of thirty—and by the changing attitude to money among the young, who want to enjoy a good lifestyle now rather than save to enjoy one later.

Frankopan, Peter. The New Silk Roads (pp. 14-15). Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Water is also a problem in South Asia, where India’s construction of the Kishanganga dam and hydroelectric plant has been a source of great concern for the government of Pakistan, who argue that these projects violate the treaty of 1960 that split the water resources of the Indus River between Pakistan and India. Anxieties about the dam, which was formally opened in May 2018, have been heightened by proposals to build as many as twelve hydroelectric plants on the River Kabul in Afghanistan—which would put further pressure on the resources of cities like Karachi, whose population is growing at more than 5 per cent per year and whose water board is only able to supply 50 per cent of its needs as it is.43 Not surprisingly, the Kishanganga

Frankopan, Peter. The New Silk Roads (p. 37). Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

dam has been referred to the International Court for Arbitration, and, perhaps equally unsurprisingly, the dispute has resulted in recriminations, soul-searching and suspicions of sabotage and conspiracy in the press in both India and Pakistan.44 Then there is the impact of climate change, which according to recent research will cause the Urumqi Glacier No. 1 to lose some 80 per cent of its ice volume in the next three decades—which will have obvious implications for Central Asia as well as for western China, where this and other glaciers play an important role in providing water for rivers but also as standby resources in times of drought.45

Frankopan, Peter. The New Silk Roads (p. 37). Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
Riaz Haq said…
Motta’s, which started operations in 1986 as a single-floor store selling basic grocery items, now has three floors and has acquired two stores in DHA called The Mart by Motta’s. Diamond Superstore, which started in 1958 as a kiryana selling aata, has seven branches in Karachi, including one with a food court and a children’s play area; Naheed Supermarket (known for introducing pre-packaged masalas and pulses to the market) began as a 1,000-feet square outlet and Lahore’s Al-Fatah began operations in the 1940s (under the name Al-Hamra) and now has 23 branches. All the above believe they have barely scratched the surface of Pakistan’s modern retail sector.

https://aurora.dawn.com/news/1144173

A number of local modern trade stores, along with mid-sized and smaller general stores, have opened and/or expanded, especially following the launch of international modern trade (IMT) stores, such as Carrefour, Makro and Metro in the 2000s. According to Muhammad Ibrahim, Owner, Motta’s, once IMTs entered Pakistan, people realised that the grocery store business was not limited to a traditional general store experience; consumers could be offered more convenience and variety and the business was profitable and "cash-rich." Mohammad Sheikh, Director, Al-Fatah, adds that market expansion in the last couple of years has been “aggressive” especially during the pandemic. “If you are uncertain about how long the pandemic will last, the best business to invest in is groceries,” he says.

In 2020, Pakistan’s food and grocery retail market had total revenues worth $52.6 billion, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.1% between 2016 and 2020, according to a report, Food and Grocery Retail in Pakistan. Although the market value of the modern retail sector cannot be adequately estimated due to the industry being largely undocumented, store owners agree that it has been expanding pre- and post-Covid-19.

“In the beginning, consumer needs were limited – people would shop at kiryanas or neighbourhood general stores – but now their expectations are changing. For example, as people become more aware of global cuisines, they want to prepare non-desi food, such as pastas and burgers at home and there is a rise in demand for those ingredients,” explains Sheikh. As a result, established stores like Al-Fatah, Diamond Superstore, Motta’s, Naheed Supermarket and many others have kept evolving by revamping their stores, opening more branches and investing in product variety to stay above the competition and meet consumer demand. Although 225 million Pakistanis have access to more than two million retail outlets, of which approximately 800,000 are grocery retail stores (kiryanas, kiosks, department stores, supermarkets and medical-cum-general stores), the ratio of grocery stores to the population is still not enough.

“Compared to our population, the number of operational stores is nothing – one to two percent maybe. We are at the infancy stage, so even if 1,000 stores like Naheed Supermarket open in Pakistan, there will still be room for growth”, says Munsub Abrar, Director, Naheed Supermarket.

Although investing in the grocery retail business remains an attractive proposition, what are the intricacies involved in opening and maintaining an LMT store and how sustainable is the business for new players?

1 Investment
It can cost between Rs 20 to 30 million (small, basic stores) to Rs 80 to 100 million (large-scale stores) to open a grocery store, depending on the size, type of furnishings used (fixtures, equipment, etc.) fixed costs (rent, salaries, etc.) and product inventory.

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Store owners agree that staying relevant is key and they must keep evolving, whether by expanding, investing in aesthetic changes to cater to the changing customer shopping experience or offering incentives, such as loyalty cards and working with brands on special discounts. Sheikh emphasises that their most loyal customers are the older generation but they need to cater to the new generation by keeping up with what they want.
Riaz Haq said…
Retail sector contributes to 18% of Pakistan’s GDP: Razzak Dawood


https://mettisglobal.news/retail-sector-contributes-to-18-of-pakistans-gdp-razzak-dawood/


March 10, 2022 (MLN): Pakistan’s retail sector contributes 18% of the GDP, employ 16% of the workforce, said Razzak Dawood Commerce Adviser Razzak Dawood in 1st Future of Retail Business Summit (FOR2022) jointly hosted by Terrabiz Conferences and Chain stores Association of Pakistan (CAP) in Karachi on Wednesday.

A central objective of the Summit was to bring Pakistan’s diverse retail sector onto one cohesive platform.

The adviser said that the retail sector was critical to fueling supporting sectors such as construction and transportation. He further stated that the growth of the retail sector was a strong indicator of development and progress in the country.

Industry stalwarts used the platform of cross-sector key stakeholders to identify areas where collaboration could be made and improvements could benefit growth. The aggregate representation of business and technology allowed participants to envision how they could create the future of their retail brands and be part of this accelerating ecosystem. Retail legends such as Seema Irfan, founder of Bareeze and Founder of Al Fatah stores, Irfan Shaikh shared insights into the challenges they faced in building brands and serving customers in Pakistan.

An underlying theme that was highlighted in addition to the future of retail, is how resilient brands survived the challenges of the pandemic and became more customer-centric upon their reopening. The conference was supported by Pakistan Fintech Association, P@SHA and A.F. Fergusson & Co. As Knowledge Partners.

The sessions were chaired by august speakers such as Steve Dennis (Amazon Bestselling Author); Nadeem Hussain (PFN), Amir Paracha (Unilever); Saira Awan Malik (TCS); Faisal Riaz (Dolmen Mall); Seema Aziz (Sefam;); Shamoon Sultan (Khaadi), Ehsan Saya (Daraz), Ibad Ahmed (PandaMart), Guest of Honor M. Azfar Ahsan (Board of Investment) among the many industry leaders from retail, brands, e-commerce, fintech and taxation. In a special video address at the summit, Commerce Adviser Razzak Dawood expressed his appreciation for the conference and how the event would play a critical role in shaping the future of retail in Pakistan.
Riaz Haq said…
Fast Food: 2nd largest
industry in Pakistan
by Prof. Dr. Noor Ahmed Memon, (Dean KASBIT).


How big is the fast food industry in Pakistan?
Fast Food Industry in Pakistan is the 2nd largest in Pakistan. accounts for 27% of its value added production and 16% of the total employment in manufacturing sector with an estimated 180 million con- sumers, Pakistan holds the world's eighth largest market when it comes to fast food and food related business.

http://foodjournal.pk/2016/July-August-2016/PDF-July-August-2016/Exclusive-article-Dr-Noor-Fast-Food.pdf
Riaz Haq said…
Ad revenue in Pakistan


https://aurora.dawn.com/news/1144596#:~:text=OOH%20ad%20revenue%20increased%20by,Rs%200.07%20billion%20(5%25).


Total Ad Revenue Rs. 88.73 billion in 2021-22

Total ad spend (revenue) has increased by Rs 13.09 (17%); in FY 2020-21, it increased by 17.04 (29%).


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In FY 2020-21, the combined revenues of Facebook, Google and YouTube accounted for 85% of the total ad spend on digital; this year, they account for 87%.

----------

TV ad revenue increased by Rs 4.64 billion (14%).
Digital ad revenue increased by Rs 3.15 billion (19%).
Print ad revenue increased by Rs 0.21 billion (2%).
OOH ad revenue increased by Rs 3.7 billion (44%).
Brand Activation/POP ad revenue increased by Rs 1.26 billion (50%).
Radio ad revenue increased by Rs 0.07 billion (5%).
Cinema ad revenue increased by Rs 0.06 billion (60%).

TV percentage share decreased by 1.4.
Digital percentage share increased by 0.27.
Print percentage share decreased by 2.19.
OOH percentage share increased by 2.51.
Brand Activation/POP percentage share increased by 0.93.
Radio percentage share decreased by 0.17.
Cinema percentage share increased by 0.05.

------

TV percentage share decreased by 1.4.
Digital percentage share increased by 0.27.
Print percentage share decreased by 2.19.
OOH percentage share increased by 2.51.
Brand Activation/POP percentage share increased by 0.93.
Radio percentage share decreased by 0.17.
Cinema percentage share increased by 0.05.

-----------------

Compared to FY 2020-21, the rankings of the Top Three newspapers remain the same.
Most newspapers have registered slight increases in their revenues.

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Compared to FY 2020-21, the Top Five channels have retained their positions.
In FY 2020-21, Radio Awaz Network was #7; this year it is #9.
In FY 2020-21, FM 105 was #9; this year it is #7.

-----------

Compared to FY 2020-21, the rankings of the Top Seven channels remain unchanged.
In FY 2020-21, PTV Home was #8 and Samaa was #9. This year, their positions are inverted.
In FY 2020-21, PTV Sports was #14. This year, it is #10.


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In FY 2020-21, the combined revenues of Facebook, Google and YouTube accounted for 85% of the total ad spend on digital; this year, they account for 87%.

-------------

Compared to FY 2020-21, the rankings of Lahore (#1), Karachi (#2) and Hyderabad (#8) remain the same.
In FY 2020-21, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Islamabad and Multan were #3, #4, #5, #6 and #7, respectively. This year, they are #4, #5, #7, #3 and #6.

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Product categories that were introduced this year are Real Estate (#1) and Retail/Online (#5).
In FY 2020-21, Beverages, FMCGs and Telecoms were #1, #2 and #3, respectively. This year they are #2, #3 and #4.
In FY 2020-21, Fashion and Electronic Appliances were #4 and #5 respectively. This year, they are #6 and #7.

----------

Compared to FY 2020-21, the rankings of all the elements remain the same.

Riaz Haq said…
TV Viewership Trends
FY 2021-22

https://aurora.dawn.com/news/1144667/tv-vieweship-trends-fy-2022-23

Compared to the previous fiscal year, the average number of viewership hours decreased by 14%.

Viewership ranges between 3.3 and 2.7 hours a day; it is highest in Karachi (3.3 hours) and lowest in Non-Metro Punjab and Urban Balochistan (2.7 hours).

Compared to the previous fiscal year, viewership has decreased across Pakistan, except in Non-Metro Sindh.


Entertainment channels (40%), unmatched channels (26%), and news channels (19%) have the highest market share. Last year, unmatched channels had the highest share (40%), followed by entertainment channels (36%) and news channels (14%), respectively.

All Genres:

Viewership has decreased among all SECs:
SEC A: Viewership has decreased by 13%.
SEC B: Viewership has decreased by 12%.
SEC C: Viewership has decreased by 9%.
SEC D: Viewership has decreased by 15%.
SEC E: Viewership has decreased by 19%.
Viewership is highest in SEC E; this was the case last year.

Entertainment Channels:

Viewership has increased or decreased among most SECs:
SEC A: Viewership has increased by 2%.
SEC B: Viewership has decreased by 3%.
SEC C: Viewership has increased by 1%.
SEC D: Viewership has decreased by 9%.
SEC E: Viewership has decreased by 9%.
Viewership is highest in SEC C; last year it was highest in SEC E.

Unmatched Channels:

Viewership has decreased among all SECs:
SEC A: Viewership has decreased by 49%.
SEC B: Viewership has decreased by 47%.
SEC C: Viewership has decreased by 38%.
SEC D: Viewership has decreased by 45%.
SEC E: Viewership has decreased by 41%.
Viewership is highest in SEC E; this was the case last year.

News Channels:

Viewership has increased among all SECs:
SEC A: Viewership has increased by 15%.
SEC B: Viewership has increased by 17%.
SEC C: Viewership has increased by 17%.
SEC D: Viewership has increased by 35%.
SEC E: Viewership has increased by 11%.
Viewership is highest in SEC B; this was the case last year.

Children's channels:

Viewership has increased or stayed the same among most SECs:
SEC A: No change
SEC B: No change
SEC C: Viewership has increased by 22%
SEC D: Viewership has increased by 12%
SEC E: Viewership has decreased by 8%
Viewership is highest in SEC E; this was the case last year.

Sports Channels:


l Viewership has increased among all SECs:
SEC A: Viewership has increased by 167%.
SEC B: Viewership has increased by 120%.
SEC C: Viewership has increased by 100%.
SEC D: Viewership has increased by 150%.
SEC E: Viewership has increased by 125%.
l Viewership is highest in SEC B; last year it was the highest in
SECs B and C.


Movie Channels:


Viewership has stayed the same among most SECs:
SEC A: No change.
SEC B: No change.
SEC C: No change.
SEC D: No change.
SEC E: Viewership has decreased by 33%.
Viewership is highest in SECs B, C, D and E; last year it was the highest in SEC E.


Regional Channels:

Viewership has decreased or stayed the same among all SECs:
SEC A: No change.
SEC B: Viewership has decreased by 50%.
SEC C: No change.
SEC D: Viewership has decreased by 50%.
SEC E: No change.
Viewership is highest in SEC E; Last year, it was the highest
in SECs C, D and E.


Cooking Channels:

Viewership has stayed the same compared to the previous year.


Music Channels:

Viewership has decreased or stayed the same among
most SECs:
SEC A: Viewership has decreased by 33%.
SEC B: No change.
SEC C: No change.
SEC D: Viewership has decreased by 50%.
SEC E: No change.
Viewership is highest in SEC A; this was the case last year.


Religious Channels:

Viewership has decreased in all SECs by 100%.

NB:

Figures in this section are based on data collected from Medialogic’s Hybrid Panel which covers 100+ cities and towns and 3,000+ reported households.

Cable penetration in Pakistan’s urban areas stands at 97%.

The data is primarily based on urban regions in Pakistan, and the target audience is limited to C&S individuals only

Numbers have been rounded up in certain instances.*
Riaz Haq said…
Faseeh Mangi
@FaseehMangi
Coca Cola has seen 13% volume growth in Pakistan despite ongoing macro challenges and sky-high inflation during the first quarter

https://twitter.com/FaseehMangi/status/1680929715962675205?s=20
Riaz Haq said…
In the ever-raging battle between Coca Cola and Pepsico, Sting is King - Profit by Pakistan Today


https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2024/05/13/in-the-ever-raging-battle-between-coca-cola-and-pepsico-sting-is-king/


There has been a major change in Pakistan’s carbonated drinks industry. In the year 2023, Coca-Cola was the most-sold carbonated drink in the country. Just over 451 million litres of Coke were sold in the last calendar year.

This beat out Pepsi, once the biggest carbonated drink in Pakistan, which sold just over 372 million litres in 2023. This is seemingly a major shift in consumer preference. Besides the flagship products, Coca Cola also had the bigger share of the overall carbonated drinks market.

Of the overall 1.33 billion litres of carbonated drinks sold in Pakistan last year, including all of the other brands these two companies operate such as 7Up and Sprite, Coke Pakistan had a market share of 42.7%, while Pepsico was close behind with 39.8%.

But even though Coke Pakistan technically has more sales than Pepsico in the carbonate beverages department, Pepsico is well ahead of Coke off the back of one single product.

Pepsico launched the iconic energy drink in Pakistan back in 2010. Since it is considered an energy drink, or a “stimulant drink” as it is legally labelled in Punjab, it falls under a separate category of product entirely. Over the years it has become abundantly clear that Sting’s competition is not Redbull or other canned energy drinks with ginseng (the product present in most energy drinks), but rather Coca Cola and Pepsi.



In the 14 years since it has been around, Sting has become the fourth largest drink in Pakistan after Coca Cola, Pepsi and 7Up. And it is fast catching up with 7Up. This means it sells more than Sprite, Mirinda, Mountain Dew, and Fanta. In fact, according to the sales numbers available for 2023, Sting has sold more litres than Mountain Dew and Fanta combined.

This is all despite the fact that Sting does not (yet) come in packaging of over 500ml. Currently, this 500ml litre bottle of Sting costs Rs 100. Its competitors like Fanta, Mountain Dew, Sprite, 7Up all come in packaging of 1 litre, 1.5 litre, and in some cases even 2.25 litres and are cheaper per litre in larger packaging. These drinks are also more in demand because they are served at weddings, corporate events, and other such gatherings. Sting is not a drink of choice for such occasions.

This presents us with a unique situation. It means Sting, despite billing itself as an energy drink, is directly in competition with carbonated drinks such as Coca Cola and Pepsi. Whatever it may claim, Sting also looks, tastes, and behaves more like a carbonated drink than an energy drink. But food and health authorities treat it as an energy drink, which can often mean regulatory scrutiny. But it seems the marketing benefit of Sting being labelled an energy drink is well worth it to Pepsico. After all, it is keeping them ahead of the competition.

So how do we get to the bottom of the Sting miracle? Easy, we start at the beginning and move on to the numbers.

Fizzy fights

There isn’t really any major competition to Coca Cola and Pepsi. Sure, there are a few anomalies in the world where local brands compete with the two multinationals. In fact, Peru is possibly the only country in the world where a local soda seller, Inca Cola, outsells both Coca Cola and Pepsi. But these are all outliers. Everywhere in the world the market for carbonated drinks is almost evenly split between these two Global Giants.

Pakistan is no exception. Coca Cola first hit the Pakistani market way back in 1953. Pepsi followed not long after. The logic from the global headquarters of both Coke and Pepsico is simple. Since they are each other’s eternal competition, wherever one goes the other follows. Whatever pricing strategy one follows the other copies. However much one spends on marketing, the other tries to one-up. Wherever there is Coca Cola, there must be Pepsi.


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