At Elips Solutions, we believe growth starts with curiosity. Our vision is to empower the European retail industry with simple, sustainable, and smart solutions that enhance in-store experiences, engage shoppers, reduce waste, and drive long-term growth. To achieve this, we continuously look beyond our own borders. That is why our recent study trip to Shanghai and Beijing was so valuable, not just to discover another market, but to explore how innovation, scale, and speed are redefining retail in China’s two biggest cities.

Why Shanghai and Beijing? Both cities are global hubs for commerce, culture, and consumer trends, yet their food retail landscapes offer distinct lessons.

Shanghai is a pioneer in digital integration. Mobile payments, app-driven promotions, and fully automated checkout systems dominate, creating seamless customer journeys. Fresh produce is not only beautifully presented but also linked to QR codes for traceability, giving shoppers instant confidence in food safety.

Beijing, with its mix of traditional markets and modern hypermarkets, shows how scale and diversity can coexist. Retailers here manage enormous product ranges while ensuring efficiency, speed, and quality. Local brands stand proudly next to international players, offering insights into how global and domestic retail strategies merge.

Together, these cities demonstrate how consumer expectations are reshaping supply chains, presentation, and service delivery.

Why it matters to Elips? Our mission is to collaborate closely with business partners, clients, and suppliers, combining Dutch forward thinking with Chinese expertise to provide practical consultancy, innovative solutions, and reliable sourcing. Experiencing retail in Shanghai and Beijing firsthand reinforces how important it is to bridge cultures and approaches. The Chinese market shows the power of speed, agility, and scale—qualities that can inspire European retailers facing their own challenges. For Elips, it underlines why our solutions, such as roller shelves, reusable crates, and smart product inlays, must not only practical and cost-effective, but also adaptable to evolving consumer expectations.

The bigger picture. By studying Shanghai and Beijing, we gain insights that spark innovation at home. The trip highlighted that while the context differs, the goals are universal: reduce waste, increase efficiency, and create engaging in-store experiences.

At Elips, we don’t just observe global markets, we learn from them, adapt their strengths, and bring those lessons back to empower our partners in Europe.

5 Fresh Lessons for Retail: Shanghai vs. Beijing

• Digital Integration (Shanghai). Seamless mobile payments, app-driven promos & automated checkout define the customer journey.
• Trust & Transparency (Shanghai). Fresh produce with QR codes for instant traceability, building shopper confidence in food safety.
• Scale & Diversity (Beijing). Enormous assortments managed efficiently, blending local and international brands.
• Tradition Meets Modern (Beijing). Hypermarkets and modern retail thrive alongside traditional fresh markets.
• Speed & Agility (Both). Chinese retailers excel at fast adaptation, launching, testing, and scaling innovations at record speed.

At Elips Solutions, we believe in learning from global markets to empower the European retail industry with simple, sustainable, and smart solutions. Shanghai and Beijing confirm: innovation and adaptability are the true drivers of growth. 🔗 #ElipsSolutions #RetailInnovation #FreshThinking