Trend #1: Order pickup is becoming a structural pillar of the model
The combined market share of proximity retail and e-commerce in the consumer goods market rose from 13% in 2014 to 18.8% in 2024 (proximity: 9.3% to 10.9%; e-commerce: 3.7% to 7.9%), a dynamic that the FCD explicitly attributes to the development of proximity formats and online grocery shopping, "particularly via the drive-through format." E-commerce, including both products and services, accounted for 175 billion euros in revenue in 2024, an increase of 73 billion euros compared to 2019, according to the FEVAD cited by the same source.
For established retailers, this means that the pickup slot is no longer an ancillary service: it is a full-fledged customer touchpoint, as strategic as any aisle.
What this implies for a network in practice:
- Pickup slots sized according to actual order volume to avoid queues during peak hours;
- Automated communication before pickup (confirmation, reminders) to reduce no-shows;
- A consolidated view, store by store, of pickup volumes and adherence to promised lead times.
Trend #2: Strained food margins are driving a shift toward in-store services
The net result of general food retail is structurally low, around 1%, and the net margin for several fresh produce departments is directly negative in some years, reaching as low as -5.8% for fish and -2.7% for deli meats in 2023, according to theObservatory for Price and Margin Formation cited by the FCD. In this context, value-added in-store services (opticians, banking, insurance, travel, photo) are becoming a vital source of margin and customer loyalty.
This shift reflects a fundamental trend in French household consumption, which is becoming increasingly service-oriented: the share of non-housing services in their spending has risen by 6 percentage points between 2000 and 2024, according to theINSEE as cited by the FCD. A poorly organized optician or insurance corner, with a badly prepared appointment or an unavailable advisor, is no longer just a minor issue: it is lost margin on one of the few truly profitable levers in the store.
What this means in practical terms for a retail network:
- A corner appointment (optician, bank, insurance, travel) that captures the reason for the visit before the customer arrives;
- Automatic assignment of the right advisor based on the requested service and their actual availability;
- Performance management for each corner, store by store, just like a standard retail department.
Trend #3: A nearly fully connected customer base expects a digitized journey
91% of French people aged 12 and over have a smartphone and 84% have a fixed home internet connection, according to the Digital Barometer from Crédoc as cited by the FCD. Customers who book their pickup slot or corner appointment from their mobile device no longer accept a journey that breaks this fluidity once they reach the parking lot or the store.
In a network that includes more than 2,300 hypermarkets and nearly 6,000 supermarkets in France, according to LSA Expert figures reported by the FCD, this expectation for digital fluidity must be organized on a large scale, uniformly, regardless of the store visited.
What this means in practical terms for a retail network:
- Pickup slot or corner appointment booking accessible in just a few clicks from a mobile device;
- Automated reminders and confirmations that extend the digital experience right up to the physical pickup or appointment;
- A consistent experience from one store to another, regardless of the size or the local team.
What this looks like in practice
A leading European specialty retailer, operating over 1,700 locations through a hybrid network of corporate and franchise stores, has digitized its in-store expert appointments: automatic assignment based on skill and location, automated reminders, and consolidated management across more than 100 stores. The result: over 50,000 appointments booked annually, fully automated, with teams spending less time on the phone and more time with customers.
While not a mass-market retailer, this company specializes in nature, pet, and wellness products, but the principle is directly transferable: high-value appointments and pickup slots in a multi-site network, where skill-based assignment and reminders make the difference between a satisfied customer and one who gives up at the first sign of trouble.
In summary
Frequently asked questions
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