From China to the Netherlands, explore how retailers are adapting BBQ propositions to local traditions through convenience, premiumisation, and occasion-led merchandising.
How global BBQ cultures are shaping retail strategies
We have seen how the summer BBQ occasion is a valuable opportunity for growth and inspiration in the UK, but grilling and outdoor cooking are highly relevant in global markets, each culture bringing with it distinct traditions and shopper expectations. From China’s social nighttime BBQ culture to the community-centred grilling season in Eastern Europe, the BBQ occasion creates significant retail opportunities across markets. Retailers and suppliers adapt their propositions to suit the local customs and traditions, while sharing similarities with the UK’s BBQ trends such as premiumisation and convenient store experiences using adjacencies to capture spend across multiple categories.
How BBQ culture varies in markets we have visited
Unlike the UK, global BBQ trends are not primarily tied to having good weather. Global markets have developed unique traditions surrounding the BBQ and grilling occasion influencing retailers’ activations.
The opportunity to capture spend from out-of-home BBQ in China
In China, BBQ is a social occasion to be shared with others out of home, meaning restaurants and street food vendors see most of the spend on BBQ. The BBQ trend has seen a big spike following the popular Zibo-style BBQ in 2023, alongside the growth of regional grilling styles and the growth in interest of outdoor leisure activities following COVID. This may not sound too promising for retailers and suppliers looking to grow in China through BBQ, however, the growth shows that there is demand, therefore leaving plenty of opportunity for retailers to create an at-home BBQ occasion by mixing comfortability and affordability to compete directly with away-from-home operators. Here is an example of a retailer, 7FRESH in Shanghai, activating BBQ with skewers shoppers could choose to be cooked on the spot.
The community-led BBQ occasion in Eastern Europe
Across Eastern Europe, grilling season is an important occasion rooted in community. Like the UK, the grilling season in countries like Hungary, Romania, and Poland is during the warmer period of the year, but unlike the UK, the grilling season in these countries is not primarily centred around warmer weather but rather is about family traditions and community gatherings.
The grilling season typically begins in spring and ends at the end of summer, making it an extended opportunity. In Hungary, the season culminates around Foundation Day on 20th August, while throughout the region public holidays and family gatherings centre around outdoor cooking and social activities.
Since this is a well-established occasion in these markets, retailers and suppliers create dedicated propositions in advance of the season. Eastern European retailers activate the occasion across entire areas of stores, rather than the small dedicated zones found in the UK surrounding chilled meats. Protein, condiments, charcoal, tableware, beer, soft drinks, and outdoor dining items are cross merchandised in large zones within stores to create a simplified mission for shoppers.
Our ventures into Romania and Hungary presented some best-in-class activations for grilling season in these markets. Auchan Hungary use multiple touchpoints positioned throughout the shopper journey with dedicated displays incorporating BBQ related products with seasonal promotions. This made the occasion feel alive in stores as it took a large portion of space.
Similarly, Profi City in Romania highlighted how adjacencies can increase basket sizes and simplify shopping for BBQ, with charcoal bags placed directly in front of the butcher’s counter
Growing opportunity in BBQ in the Netherlands
The BBQ occasion in the Netherlands shares similarities with the UK BBQ occasion, namely that it is strongly linked to warm weather and outdoor socialising.
Convenience remains at the centre of retailer strategies. Many stores use seasonal displays to feature BBQ specific cross-category merchandising, bringing together the proteins, baked goods, condiments, beverages, and grilling equipment. This one-stop shop method elevates the occasion, simplifies the shopper journey, and encourages trade-ups on adjacent products. Shoppers increasingly view BBQ as an extension of home entertaining, increasing the importance of good hosting and therefore leading to increased demand for premium products in categories such as grilling equipment and foods.
Unlike Eastern Europe where BBQ foods are established and reflect the local cuisine, Dutch BBQ is strongly influenced by international cuisine. Indonesian satay, Mediterranean marinade, Korean and American BBQ styles are all making their way onto shelves. This reflects both the Netherland’s multicultural food trends and shopper enthusiasm for flavour discovery.
Albert Heijn provides a strong example of occasion led merchandising in practice. This FSDU featured on the end of the chilled meats aisle (which features BBQ meats and disposable BBQ’s) brings together condiments, snacks, and hot dog rolls. The activation is also located next to premium craft beers to entice trade-ups on drinks.
The complete BBQ solution
While BBQ offerings and traditions differ significantly between cultures, one similarity arises across markets, the complete occasion. Successful retailers move beyond individual products into cross-merchandising to maximise spend, simplify the mission, and encourage larger baskets. Between China’s social BBQ, Eastern Europe’s community focused grilling traditions, or premium entertaining in the Netherlands, the most effective strategies are those that make planning and hosting barbecues easier for shoppers. The combination of convenience and inspiration unlocks the occasion for retailers and allows suppliers to place their products into more baskets.