Blog posts
It is always refreshing to see how retail media is growing and thriving in different parts of the world. I have visited asian countries over the years to preach (and learn as well - thats why we have 2 ears and only one mouth as the old proverb goes). This time my roadshow consisted 4 countries and south-east asia in particular.
I started my journey from Beijing, the capital of global superpower both in retail and international politics. The driver being that in the past decade, around 800 million Chinese have moved into the middle class — that’s a customer base the size of Europe and the US combined.
First visible thing is the number of delivery guys scooting around 24/7. China has rapidly evolved into the most advanced home delivery market in the world, with cities like Beijing setting new global standards for speed and convenience. Whether it’s groceries, a single cup of coffee, a charger, or even fresh flowers, delivery services are integrated into daily life to a degree unmatched elsewhere. Platforms like Meituan, Ele.me, JD Daojia and DingDong have built dense logistics networks, supported by electric scooters, smart warehouses, AI routing, and thousands of riders positioned strategically across the city.
This speed is no longer seen as a luxury. Delivery time for any order within 15-25 minutes has become a default expectation. Instead of weekly grocery trips, people often order fresh ingredients right before cooking. In residential areas, it’s common for families to place three, five, even seven separate orders throughout the day — for meals, drinks, household items, or something they forgot from the last order. Because delivery is instant and reliable, there is little reason to store products at home. Refrigerators are smaller, kitchens are more minimalist, and impulse buying happens with a swipe.
As home delivery in China has made everyday shopping instant and transactional, brick-and-mortar stores are evolving into something entirely different — places not just to shop, but to experience. If products can arrive at your door in 30 minutes, the physical store must offer something delivery cannot: freshness, entertainment, discovery, and social interaction. This has led to a rise of premium supermarkets, hybrid dining-retail formats, and immersive in-store media environments.
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Chains like Hema (Freshippo by Alibaba), 7Fresh (JD.com), and Ole’ (by China Resources Vanguard) showcase live seafood tanks, on-site chefs preparing sashimi, roasting meat, or cooking what customers pick from the shelves. Shoppers can choose a live lobster or king crab and have it cooked on the spot — or delivered to their home within 30 minutes.
In many ways, the store has become part market, part restaurant, part lifestyle destination. Even traditional grocery players like Walmart China and Yonghui Superstores have redesigned flagships to feature fresher produce, wine-tasting areas, sushi counters, imported goods, and designer bakery zones.
Brands pay for premium shelf screens, interactive displays, and in some locations, LED panels above seafood counters or fresh produce. These stores are not just points of sale; they have become media platforms, content studios, and last-mile logistics hubs all at once.
An interesting thing that I saw also in other countries is that stores are becoming content studios with influencers live-streaming from the stores about the products and entertain the store visitors at the same time.
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As a result, people don’t come to these new supermarkets mainly to stock up on groceries — they come to see, taste, touch, and be inspired. Freshness and entertainment drive foot traffic, while delivery and digital tools take care of the routine purchases. In this new model, physical retail and e-commerce are no longer separate routes to consumers, but parts of the same ecosystem.
After a week in Beijing, it was time to move on. One of the leaders of South East Asia, Thailand has developed one of the region’s most dynamic retail markets, driven by rapid urbanisation, strong tourism, and a digitally savvy middle class. Modern trade formats — from hypermarkets and convenience stores to premium malls — have expanded rapidly, while traditional trade still retains a meaningful presence, especially outside major cities.
The country’s retail landscape blends international brands with strong domestic players such as Central Group, CP All (7-Eleven), and Big C, each shaping consumer habits through scale, innovation, and loyalty ecosystems.
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Much like China a few years earlier, Thailand’s modern retail scene is shifting from functional grocery shopping to curated, premium experiences where people come not just to buy, but to explore, taste and spend time. Tops and Big Care leading this transformation. Clean layouts, premium imported products, fresh seafood counters and café-style spaces have become standard in their flagship stores. Instead of being simply “where you get groceries,” these stores are positioned as lifestyle destinations — places to wander, pick your own seafood, try freshly baked bread or watch sushi being made behind glass.
This upgraded environment has opened the door for in-store retail media. Screens above fresh food counters show cooking ideas or brand partners. Digital shelf labels and QR codes allow customers to scan for product origins, recipes or promotions through loyalty apps. Tops, under Central Retail, integrates this with its The 1 loyalty platform and GrabMart delivery, creating a fully connected online–offline ecosystem. Customers might see a product in-store, scan a screen for more info, save it in their app and have it delivered home within an hour.
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Big C is following a similar path, especially with its premium “Bangkok Marché” format. Fresh seafood halls, imported goods, and dine-in areas are designed to keep shoppers in-store longer. Digital signage, promotional media zones and even livestream setups allow brands to advertise directly at the point of decision. Instead of fighting e-commerce, brick-and-mortar is being redesigned to complement it: delivery handles routine purchases, while the store becomes a stage for freshness, experience and media.
Big C is following a similar path, especially with its premium “Bangkok Marché” format.
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In Thailand’s urban centers, retail is no longer just about selling products — it’s about creating a place worth visiting, while turning that environment into a powerful media platform for brands.
With a population of over 34 million, Malaysia represents one of Southeast Asia’s most balanced consumer markets — a mix of mature urban shoppers and rapidly digitizing regional centers. The country’s retail sector has expanded steadily over the past decade, supported by rising disposable income, infrastructure investment, and a young, connected population fluent in both physical and digital retail experiences.
During my trips to Kuala Lumpur I've stayed in hotel with direct views to follow the rapid development of a new luxury shopping mall The Exchange TRX. It is a great example of modern retail, that is anchored by landmark developments such as Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, and 1 Utama, which combine luxury brands, dining, and entertainment in high-traffic urban centers. These spaces are increasingly designed not just as shopping venues but as social hubs — integrating food halls, cinemas, pop-up zones, and live event areas that drive dwell time and impulse spending.
"These spaces are increasingly designed not just as shopping venues but as social hubs"
At the same time, Malaysia’s supermarket and grocery sector is upgrading fast. Chains like Jaya Grocer, Village Grocer, and Ben’s Independent Grocer set new standards for freshness, product curation, and in-store aesthetics. International players like Lotus’s (Tesco) and AEON have responded by redesigning stores around modern consumer expectations: wider aisles, fresh food theaters, and premium imported selections.
Digital integration has also accelerated. GrabMart, Foodpanda, and local platforms now offer rapid delivery, often within 30–60 minutes, creating hybrid consumption habits similar to Bangkok or Singapore. Shoppers browse in-store for freshness and inspiration — but rely on delivery apps for repeat purchases and convenience.
In this environment, retail media and experiential branding are beginning to take hold. Large-format digital screens, QR-enabled product storytelling, and influencer pop-ups are common in premium malls. Brands use these environments as both sales and content channels, blending commerce with experience.
As Malaysia positions itself as a regional lifestyle hub between Singapore and Thailand, its next retail chapter is defined by integration — physical stores as experiences, delivery as infrastructure, and media as the connective tissue between them.
Last city during my 3-week trip was Singapore, standing as Southeast Asia’s benchmark for retail sophistication, where innovation, efficiency, and experience converge in one of the world’s densest consumer markets. With over 5 million residents and among the highest GDP per capita in Asia, the city-state has turned retail into a seamless fusion of luxury, technology, and logistics.
"Space is limited, so every square meter must perform."
Space is limited, so every square meter must perform. Flagship malls like ION Orchard, Jewel Changi, and Funan demonstrate this blend of architecture, retail, and digital immersion — combining shopping, dining, co-working, and leisure under one connected roof.
The grocery and convenience sector mirrors this precision. FairPrice Finest, Cold Storage, and Don Don Donki operate in hyper-efficient formats, emphasizing ready-to-eat meals, premium imports, and digital checkout experiences. With delivery times as short as 15–30 minutes through GrabMart, RedMart, and Pandamart, Singapore’s consumers expect instant access — whether it’s sushi, flowers, or electronics.
Yet even in a market where e-commerce is effortless, physical stores remain central. They’ve evolved into sensory showcases — spaces for tasting, testing, and socializing. Brands use in-store digital media, live cooking demos, and AR-enabled promotions to drive engagement. Data from loyalty programs and delivery apps loop back into personalized marketing, blurring the line between online and offline interaction.
Singapore’s model shows what the region is moving toward: retail as a living ecosystem, where logistics, experience, and media merge seamlessly. For international brands and local players alike, it’s a proving ground for the future of connected commerce in Asia.
All in all, in-store retail media is accelerating fast — and it’s been inspiring to witness the journey firsthand since we first began working with it in Malaysia back in 2022. My takeaway is that while Europe is leaning on vast yet relatively “basic” retail networks like Lidl, many Asian cities are rewriting the playbook.
With their dense populations and limited space, stores have become compact oases — places where freshness, experience, and immediacy converge to create the next chapter of physical retail.
