Presentation by Reena das Nair

Policy workshop on retail modernization and supermarket expansion

Presentation by Reena das Nair at policy workshop on retail modernization and supermarket expansion


On 24-25 November Reena das Nair, Senior Researcher at CCRED will talk about her work on supermarket chains in our Regional Growth and Development in Southern Africa project during the roundtable policy workshop ‘Global Retail Modernization, South African Supermarket Expansion in Africa and Sustainable Development’ in Cape Town. The event is held by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), the German Development Institute (DIE), and PRISM in the University of Cape Town.

The diffusion of modern retail supermarket formats in developing countries has profound implications – not only for existing small scale grocery stores and informal vendors but also for millions of producers, intermediary traders in the respective supply chains, and for the consumers in these countries. The objectives of the workshop are to present good practices of inclusive integration of suppliers as well as identify role models and innovative forms of collective action

Das Nair’s work maps the growth and spread of supermarkets in the region, including independent retailers, to understand the evolving retail strategies employed by the different supermarket chains. Her work has been published also as a WIDER Working Paper titled the Expansion of Regional Supermarket Chains: Changing models of retailing and the implications for local supplier capabilities in South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe

The workshop brings together representatives from South African and other international retail chains, policymakers, academics, private sector development experts, supplier organizations, and various international donor agencies to discuss on the dynamics of South African supermarket expansion as well as the opportunities and risks of retail modernization in Africa.