The grocery sector is experiencing a seismic shift as digital transformation accelerates across the globe. Yet, the journey is far from uniform. Each region—EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), APAC (Asia-Pacific), and North America—faces unique market dynamics, regulatory environments, consumer behaviors, and technology adoption rates. At Publicis Sapient, we recognize that a one-size-fits-all approach does not deliver sustainable results. Instead, our SPEED framework—Strategy, Product, Experience, Engineering, and Data & AI—enables us to tailor transformation journeys to the realities of each market, driving measurable impact for grocers worldwide.
EMEA’s grocery landscape is defined by its diversity. Retailers must navigate a patchwork of mature and emerging markets, each with distinct regulatory frameworks, languages, and cultural expectations. The region is also home to some of the world’s most stringent data privacy laws, such as GDPR, which shape how retailers collect, store, and leverage customer data.
A standout example is Carrefour, one of the world’s largest hypermarket chains. Facing declining foot traffic and rising digital expectations, Carrefour partnered with Publicis Sapient to unify its fragmented digital assets and accelerate e-commerce growth. By introducing a scaled delivery model and breaking down organizational silos, Carrefour consolidated over 350 projects into agile squads. The result: a new e-commerce platform launched in just six months, a 1.5x increase in conversion rates, and the ability to deliver enhancements daily without downtime. Today, Carrefour’s teams measure, iterate, and swiftly react to customer feedback—setting a new standard for customer-centric, evidence-based transformation in EMEA retail.
Our SPEED approach in EMEA emphasizes:
APAC is a region marked by rapid digital adoption, mobile-first consumers, and a burgeoning middle class. Retailers here face the challenge of scaling operations quickly while meeting the expectations of digitally savvy shoppers. Regulatory environments vary widely, requiring flexible and adaptive transformation strategies.
For a leading global retailer expanding its online grocery business into APAC, Publicis Sapient developed a scalable e-commerce solution integrated with in-store capabilities. The rollout was completed in just 14 months, enabling rapid market entry and seamless customer experiences. By leveraging microservices, API-driven architectures, and cloud-native platforms, we empowered the retailer to scale quickly, optimize supply chain operations, and respond to surges in demand—such as doubling online orders and delivery slots in less than a week during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our SPEED methodology in APAC focuses on:
North America’s grocery sector is defined by intense competition, rapid innovation, and high consumer expectations for seamless omnichannel experiences. Regulatory requirements around data privacy and consumer protection add further complexity, but also create opportunities for differentiation through trust and transparency.
Publicis Sapient has partnered with leading U.S. grocers to modernize platforms, harness data, and deliver personalized, omnichannel experiences. For one top grocery chain, we built a digital marketing platform and customer data platform that enabled real-time personalization and campaign optimization. The result: a 25% increase in conversion, 75% faster campaign curation, and a 4x increase in data processing volume. In another case, a custom retail media network enabled a major grocer to monetize its data, driving 15x revenue growth and providing 360° customer insights.
Our SPEED approach in North America includes:
Across all regions, several best practices underpin successful grocery transformation:
Publicis Sapient is recognized as a leader in retail digital transformation by industry analysts and clients alike. Our global reach, deep local expertise, and proven SPEED methodology empower grocers to modernize, innovate, and lead—wherever they operate. Whether scaling agile engineering in EMEA, enabling cloud-native growth in APAC, or driving data-driven personalization in North America, we deliver transformation that is both global in ambition and local in execution.
Ready to unlock growth through digital transformation? Connect with Publicis Sapient’s experts and discover how our SPEED approach can future-proof your grocery business—anywhere in the world.