Xin Ou
Research expert covering Greater China
Retail industry in Sweden - statistics & facts
For decades, the Swedish marketplace has been dominated by domestic brands, especially in the apparel, food, and furniture retail segments. Recently, however, many international brands have also entered the retail market in Sweden, establishing themselves among consumers and laying the groundwork for future expansion. Considered a global leader in innovation with highly skilled workers and consumers eager to adopt new technologies, Sweden continues to attract both international companies and sustain the growth of its own.
Sweden’s retail industry stands out with its homegrown retail giants while also maintaining a competitive market that welcomes and encourages international retailers. Furthermore, the country’s acceptance of digitization has accelerated the growth of e-commerce. With Swedish consumers increasingly turning to online shopping, both local and global players have the opportunity to flourish.
Major Swedish retailers
Sweden is home to several well-known and smaller brands, including, but not limited to Volvo, H&M, Clas Ohlson, Circle K Sverige, and IKEA. In fact, H&M, also known as Hennes & Mauritz AB, was the country’s leading clothing and fashion retailer by far, generating an annual turnover of over 235 billion Swedish kronor. In terms of Sweden’s food, drink, and grocery retail market, some of the household names include Systembolaget, ICA, Willys, and Hemköp. ICA Gruppen, which owns a number of retail chains, such as ICA Nära and ICA Supermarket, accounted for a total of around 1,270 stores across the country.E-commerce in Sweden
Since the pandemic, the e-commerce market has been expanding vastly in Sweden. In fact, Swedish e-commerce sales figures reached an annual revenue of 140 billion Swedish kronor in 2024. Many Swedish consumers had made a habit of buying items online, some of the most popular product categories being clothing and footwear, beauty and healthcare products, and surprisingly at first place – pharmaceuticals. Swedish consumers even took it a step further by indulging in cross-border e-commerce, with a majority stating that it was a cheaper alternative in 2024.Sweden’s retail industry stands out with its homegrown retail giants while also maintaining a competitive market that welcomes and encourages international retailers. Furthermore, the country’s acceptance of digitization has accelerated the growth of e-commerce. With Swedish consumers increasingly turning to online shopping, both local and global players have the opportunity to flourish.
