According to A.T. Kearney’s recent study, the 2016 Global Retail Development Index (“GRDI”), retailers who are looking to expand internationally should look towards China. “China’s economic growth has slowed, yet the GRDI’s top-ranked country remains one of the most attractive global retail markets; when comparing country risk with market potential, only India’s smaller retail market rivals China. Retail sales growth (8.1 percent) outpaced GDP growth (6.9 percent) in 2015, as consumers continued spending despite economic uncertainty.”* From the Chinese economy’s gradual shift from an infrastructure investment-driven model to a consumer-driven one to the growing middle class to the loosening of the one-child policy, there are a lot of factors which will bring growth to China over the next ten years. India now boasts the world’s fastest-growing major economy with their retail demand driven by their expanding middle class, more women in the workforce, and urbanization.
