Over the past 20 years, the number of supermarkets in Hong Kong has increased from 76 outlets in 1976 to 1,050 in 1996 In Hong Kong, supermarkets have gained marked increase in popularity over the past two decades. In 1996, it was established that supermarkets took a share of around 50 per cent of the territory's food retailing business (meals taken away from home not included), amounting to some $21 billion.
'Supermarkets industry' means all those establishments which (a) engage in the retails of general provisions including a variety of goods as one of the major items, and (b) use self- serving retail method.
It therefore includes, apart from conventional supermarkets such as Park'N Shop and Wellcome, convenience stores and discount stores.
Convenience stores are characterised by around-the-clock operation (for example, 7-Eleven, Circle K), whereas discount stores are commonly known as 'Warehouse stores' (Grandmart and U-save).
In parallel with its rapid development, the supermarkets industry has undergone much change.
First, the number of supermarket outlets (Chart 1) in operation has increased by 13 times during the past two decades, from 76 in 1976 to 1,050 in 1996.
The number of outlets increased more rapidly between 1978 and 1985, with an annual growth rate of 26 per cent on average.