Supermarket giant Tesco is to launch its online grocery offer in Thailand and China in the coming months as it continues to expand its multichannel presence, it is understood.
Ahead of a wider roll-out of its home shopping offer, the grocer is initially concentrating on bringing the offer to capital cities, according to The Independent, and the next store will open in Bangkok in the coming weeks as it grows its scope in the Thai market.
Online stores will also be launched in Shanghai in May this year to support the 120 stores that exist across the country following Tesco‘s debut in the Chinese market in 2004.
Last month, Tesco reported growth in international sales over the crucial Christmas period as total international sales rose 3.4 per cent, buoyed by the strength of the Asian market, while online sales jumped 18 per cent.
The move comes as Tesco finds itself in the midst of controversy surrounding horsemeat found in a number of its products and it is hoped that focusing on online growth will strengthen the retailer‘s position in a tough market.
Last October, industry analyst group IGD published research predicting that the online grocery market will double in value over the next five years to £1.1 billion as supermarkets increasingly extend the reach of their multichannel operations.
Tesco could not be reached for comment.
