Retailers from China and Russia have joined the world’s 250 largest retailers for the first time, according to a report by Deloitte Touche.

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The 2008 Global Powers of Retail report – which lists the world’s leading retailers according to annual sales across all sectors – reported a total of six retailers from Russia and China entering the list.


China’s Bailian Group entered at number 101, while the highest-ranking Russian retailer was X5 Retail Group at number 191.


Wal-Mart remained the world’s largest retailer, according to the report, with France’s Carrefour ranked second.


Among the top ten retailers, the big mover was Tesco, which leapfrogged Metro Group into fourth place, the first movement among the top five since 2003. In doing so, Tesco became the second-largest retailer in Europe.

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Wal-Mart, Carrefour, Home Depot, Tesco and Metro made up the top five, according to Deloitte. Kroger, Target and Costco were sixth, seventh and eighth respectively. Sears Holdings and Germany’s Schwarz made up the top ten.


Dr Ira Kalish, part of the Deloitte research team, said: “This is an exciting time for global retailing. Traditionally, foreign retailers have dominated in markets such as Russia and China, but the strategies behind the emergence of these new stores reflect a growing maturity among emerging market businesses.”


Looking purely at the top ten FMCG retailers, US grocer Kroger was fifth, behind Metro Group, Tesco, Carrefour and Wal-Mart, the report said.


US wholesaler Costco was sixth among the world’s FMCG retailers, with Germany’s Schwarz and Aldi in seventh and eighth positions.


US retailer Walgreens was ninth. Germany-based Rewe was tenth.