Thread by @pernilleru

Toyo Keizai on Ocado partnering with Japan's Aeon, speculating whether this will help Aeon 's strategy of going digital, in the face of declining, ageing population, more dual career couples, single households. 1/ toyokeizai.net/articles/-/317… #東洋経済オンライン

Half of Aeon's 400 stores in Japan have a "net-supermarket" where store does fulfilment. Intend to continue with this + also click + collect. E-commerce is only 4% of Japan's food sales (7% in UK). Key is freshness, as Japan has many good, accessible fresh food supermarkets. 2/4

So most online grocery purchases in Japan are large, heavy items. Aeon is hoping Ocado's knowhow with refrigeration will help, plus despatching direct from automated warehouse using fastest realtime routes should reduce delivery time + cost. 3/4

All Japanese supermarkets are making losses w online shopping. Ocado made a loss last year too. Aeon's President Okada says he believes in Peter Drucker's prediction that increasing knowledge worker productivity is the biggest challenge for the 21st c 4/4 hbr.org/2014/10/what-p…