Wumart, Aldi, HotMaxx, Guanpark join discount frenzy

Beijing-based retailer Wumart Group recently unveiled its new hard discount supermarket format — Wumart X Super Value — with six stores opening simultaneously across the capital, aiming to attract consumers seeking low prices and high-frequency essentials amid a broader shift toward value-driven retail.

The new stores — located in five districts — mark Wumart's first foray into the discount sector and the first such chain in the Beijing market. The format emphasizes limited products, private-label dominance, direct sourcing and lean operations.

"The discount model of Wumart X Super Value is not only an innovation in retail formats, but also a pioneering breakthrough in the Beijing retail market," said Xu Lina, Wumart Group spokesperson. Hard discount stores offer products at more affordable prices by cutting down on marketing, merchandising and other operational costs, such as packaging, sales assistants, store space and air conditioning.

Each location offers fewer than 1,300 stock keeping units across six high-turnover categories — fresh produce, meat and seafood, baked goods, ready-to-eat meals, and daily-use goods. More than 60 percent of the assortment consists of Wumart private-label products, priced aggressively to undercut traditional supermarkets and big-box chains.

In order to provide affordable prices to consumers, Wumart X Super Value follows a low-cost structure through full-chain efficiency. Products are sourced directly from manufacturers, packaged in "factory-to-shelf" formats and stocked without secondary handling. The stores run entirely on self-service systems, eliminating service counters and trimming labor costs.

"We conduct category-wide reviews four to six times a year and benchmark prices weekly across platforms," Xu said. "There are no promotions — our pricing is low every day by design."