Belgium strongest riser in list of promising e-commerce countries

Belgium has been catching up in e-commerce for a while. Our country was limping along behind, but is now in the thick of the growth spurt.

Belgium jumps over Netherlands

In "The 2015 Global Retail E-Commerce Index" by A.T. Kearney - a ranking showing the growth potential of 30 e-commerce countries - Belgium jumps over the Netherlands.

Fortunately, both countries did rise. And we can only applaud that. The Netherlands ends in 13th place. Belgium is 9th and is the fastest climber in the top 30.

25% growth per year. Until 2020.

The Kearney analysts attribute Belgium a growth potential of 48.3% for 2015 - saying our market is ripe for the boost; modern infrastructure combined with consumers going online en masse in a competitive landscape.

More than 60% of Belgians buy online. And although we sometimes feel like we're always stuck in traffic jams, the consulting firm gives our country a high rating for transportation and infrastructure.

Accordingly, A.T. Kearney expects strong growth - as much as 25% per year - through 2020. Primarily driven by food, textiles and electronics.

Late bloomer

Because many Belgian retailers started e-commerce relatively late, many Belgians now shop on foreign websites. The Dutch bol.com and the French Amazon website are doing especially well.

But Belgian providers are quickly catching up. A.T. Kearney, for example, talks about supermarket Colruyt with their Collect&Go service. And Delhaize saw its online sales rise 48 percent and invested heavily in e-commerce.

Vanden Borre is also mentioned in the report, scoring especially well with their multichannel approach. (selling through a combination of different channels, e.g. offline, online & mobile).

Finally, they talk about the interesting investments in a country that is already logistically strong. In 2012, UPS acquired Belgian logistics company Kiala - known for their more than 900 pick-up points where online shoppers can pick up their packages.

BME invests in growth segment Food with refrigeration and freezer units

We too are finding that there is music in e-commerce.

The number of requests for websites, web shops and logistics fulfillment is on the rise. The growth spurt that A.T. Kearney sees driven by food, among other things, is also felt here from the reactions of our partners and contacts.

Because we want to offer our customers the best quality and service, we invest in new refrigeration and freezer units.

Why?

To give you an extra service you won't find anywhere else. Allowing you to get more revenue from online sales. Not just the storage of your products - but also safe, refrigerated transport to your end customer.

Do you have any questions about this?

Or are you looking to expand within food - or non-food?

Then email info@bme.be. Or call: +32 474 938 439.

We are happy to help you.

Good luck!

Team BME

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