'Hard discount' gains ground in market planning in Colombia: what is the panorama for neighborhood stores?

TL;DR

Neighborhood stores in Colombia are transforming, with consumers increasingly using them for occasional purchases rather than primary grocery shopping.
Major shopping is now concentrated in large supermarkets and hard discount stores, while corner shops serve emergency needs.
Visit frequency to neighborhood stores dropped 7.1% by the end of 2025, with sales growing only 1.4%, mostly due to price increases.
The average transaction value increased by 11.8% from 2024 to January 2026, indicating consumers pay more per visit.
Consumers are optimizing budgets by buying smaller quantities, a phenomenon seen in categories like cold cuts and soluble coffee.
Sales volume for essential items like rice dropped significantly even as prices decreased, signaling a shift away from traditional channels for basic goods.
The challenge for neighborhood stores in 2026 is to redefine their value proposition, focusing on immediacy, proximity, and small formats, rather than just price competition.

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