CHICAGO – Market Research Company Euromonitor International released an e-book yesterday identifying the top five retailing trends in 15 countries throughout North and South America.

Increased urbanization in South America will lead to solid growth in the convenience store industry, while variety stores and pharmacies will resonate among budget-conscious shoppers in North American countries.

"Retailing is a vast changing industry throughout the hemisphere, as companies try to find new ways to reach customers and better understand current purchasing habits. This leads to new channels as well as the evolution of existing outlet formats to adapt and satisfy demand," said Latin American Research Manager, Sean Kreidler. "The turn to convenient and quick one-stop shopping has proven successful in the Americas and will continue through the proliferation of convenience stores, the adaptation of pharmacies to increase their product offering, the expansion of modern discount formats and the continued push toward internet retailing."

Trends highlighted in Euromonitor’s e-book include:

• Web growth: The number of internet retailers is growing in many countries, with Peru’s growing at a rapid pace due to the rising purchasing power of customers and improved access to credit cards.
• Luxury retail: Luxury retail has become more affordable in Canada and remains popular in Brazil. There is also potential for luxury goods to grow quickly in Colombia, especially for apparel, watches, bags and luggage specialist retailers due to the increasing purchasing power of Colombians.
• Supermarkets: Because shoppers in many South American countries favor small, independent grocers, supermarkets are transitioning to smaller formats. However, consumers in several Latin American countries are increasingly looking for a one-stop-shopping experience, a preference that bodes well for larger markets. And in the U.S., grocery stores are being consolidated.