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WalMart

India has the highest density of retail outlets of any country in the world. It has 15m, compared with 900,000 in America, where the market in value terms in 13 times bigger. In India, the retail industry is the largest supplier of jobs, after agriculture.

It is also protected from foreign companies, where the law blocks FDI from the industry. However, WalMart, Tesco and Carrefour are showing an interest in the booming economy and fast-growing middle class of India.

Most Indian shops are family-run, surviving on unpaid labour. Organised retailing only accounts for 2-3% of the total, although it is growing at 18-20% annually and shopping malls are springing up everywhere.

Reliance is formulating retail plans, involving an investment of a massive $2.2b in 1,500-1,800 supermarkets and hypermarkets, employing 400,000-500,000 people. There will be 60 supply centres, some with their own airstrips (!).

This is all to happen in the next two years.

Wal-Mart - Continued