Barely 14 per cent of the international retailers are present on the Bulgarian market, a survey of 250 brands, carried out by CB Richard Ellis consultancy company showed on March 14.
The report, called How Global is the Business of Retail, placed Bulgaria in 40th place in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.
Britain was home to the highest percentage of the world’s top international retailers, with 55 per cent of 250 brands surveyed present, according to the study, which analysed retailer presence in relation to market sectors, country of origin, regional trends and other influences.
At 51 per cent, Spain had the second-highest percentage of international retailers present, while France, Germany and Italy rounded out the top five. The United States came in at number 11, with 39 per cent of international retailers present.
Unsurprisingly, and as highlighted in the regional analysis, European retailers are generally over-represented within the EMEA markets. However, there are some notable exceptions.
European retailers are relatively under-represented in South Africa and a number of the Scandinavian markets (Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland). In all these cases, there are proportionally more retailers from The Americas than one would accordingly expect.
The maturity, size and strength of the domestic retailers in the U.S. make it a market that only the strongest foreign retailers are able to break into. The study also underscores the strong economic link between the United Kingdom and the United States.
While retailers from the United States are represented around the world, in markets as diverse as South Africa, Scandinavia, Ireland and Israel, the United Kingdom attracts more American retailers than any other country.
“London is often a springboard destination for U.S. retailers, allowing them to be present in an iconic fashion hub and explore opportunities for expansion into Europe at the same time,” CB Rirchard Ellis Retail Services executive managing director Anthony Buono said.
“However, US retailers have a relatively low penetration outside the mature Western European markets, suggesting that Europe still holds considerable opportunities.”
