Global large format trends 2025: store remodelling

As shopper behaviour and retail landscapes change, we see retailers actively rethinking ranges and space allocation, as well as deploying new technologies, to optimise the performance of their large stores and target new opportunities for the future.

Downscaling non-food and driving the food offer

As non-food retailing has shifted to the online channel, the opportunities for extended ranges in hypermarkets have diminished. Adapting to this, retailers are significantly reducing space for these ranges. In 2025, as part of its strategy to reinvent its hypermarket format across five markets, Auchan is rolling out a new design in which just 20% of space is occupied by non-food, down from 50% previously.

As non-food space contracts retailers are moving to fill available space by extending and elevating food ranges, looking to drive shopper engagement with more theatrical and impactful displays, as well as building ranges to target the specific preferences of new groups in changing populations.

Catering to diversity

Migration into many developed markets has created more diverse shopper bases, mixing a growing range of heritages that represent varying tastes and shopping behaviours alongside established populations. Retailers are increasingly seeking to win with these more diverse populations by creating focused ranges tailored to the specific needs of the different communities, in addition to mainstream ranging.

The phenomenon of ‘world foods’ is now well-embedded in many Western European markets, with large stores offering the space to create these parallel offers targeting several of the most prominent communities. In Canada, where South Asian communities have gained real scale, some retailers are developing formats, for example, Sobeys Chalo! Freshco, leading with extended ranges to meet these needs.

Targeting B2B spend

Large footprint, hybrid formats combining business with domestic customers have become a significant part of the retail landscape of Brazil, where the composite term ‘atacarejo’ mixes the concepts of retail and wholesale.  Characterised by warehouse-style layouts and fixtures as well as pallet and in-case displays, these stores offer a strong value focus with mechanics rewarding bulk purchasing. This makes them attractive to small businesses and large families.

Many of these stores have also been created in other South American markets by the conversion of traditional hypermarkets, in addition to new builds. Furthermore, retailers are now bringing the concept to Europe, converting big stores in markets such as Romania, where the combination of value-focused domestic shoppers is complemented by a thriving small and micro-business sector in retailing and foodservice.