Why Mapping the Market in 2025 Matters More Than Ever

The retail landscape in Romania is fastly shifting. New stores open, consumer habits evolve, and economic dynamics are reshaping how and where people shop. In this kind of environment, brands and retailers can no longer afford to rely on outdated assumptions or incomplete data.

To understand the market clearly and respond with purpose, you first need to see it.

That’s where the Retail Census comes in. More than a dataset, it’s a strategic refresh of your market reality.

Market in Motion

Urban expansion, shifting population centers, and changing household incomes all play a role in how retail networks are developing across Romania. Some localities are growing rapidly, while others are becoming saturated. Stores that performed well two years ago may now be less relevant. Entire neighborhoods are emerging with different consumer profiles and brands need to know which ones align with their own category strategy.

Mapping this movement gives you more than just a list of store locations. It reveals the socio-economic layers that shape consumer behavior. Where are your category’s strongest growth areas? Which cities or towns now have the footfall and income profile to support your product, even if they didn’t before?

A retail census allows you to stop guessing and start planning based on today’s market.

Why Now?

Because the way people shop and where they shop isn’t what it used to be. Inflation, digital access, changing work habits, and lifestyle shifts have all influenced how Romanians approach in-store shopping.

At the same time, retail is influenced by lifestyle:

• Remote work is increasing traffic in residential and smaller towns during working hours.

• Mobile internet access has made product discovery easier, but physical stores remain essential for categories like food, beverages, and home goods.

• Internal migration and a growing expat presence in cities like București, Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara, Iași, Sibiu, Brașov are reshaping local demand.

Mapping the retail universe today means understanding how these patterns are playing out in real locations:

• Where is premium growing?

• Where are discount formats expanding?

• Are your competitors reaching areas you’ve overlooked?

If your brand is in food, beverages, personal care, or household categories, these shifts matter. They affect not just distribution, but also campaign planning, product placement, and local marketing decisions.

A Census = A Strategic Reset

Conducting or accessing a retail census isn’t just about confirming what you already know, it’s about resetting your view of the market. The data helps you:

✔ Discover new sales zones. Identify overlooked localities that match your target consumer profile.

✔ Benchmark your presence. Compare your current distribution with actual store-level opportunities.

✔ Plan smarter. Base your future strategy on real coverage, not estimates.

✔ Spot category growth. See where demand for your product type is increasing.

✔ Track competition. Identify stores carrying similar products, but not yours.

✔ Improve channel efficiency. Understand which store types or regions are underperforming in terms of sales vs. presence.

Think of it as a health check for your brand’s market alignment.

When You Map the Market, You See Possibility

According to RDM data, there are 60,000+ retail outlets across 3,200 cities and towns in Romania, including a wide mix of formats from modern trade hypermarkets to traditional corner stores, specialty shops, bars, cafés, or kiosks. 

Mapping with the Retail Census gives you a true 360° view of your business environment.

Not just in terms of where your products are, but also where they should be.

For example:

✔ You may discover that your competitor has strong presence in small cities you’ve never targeted.

✔ Or that a fast-growing area now supports a higher-margin product that previously didn’t perform well.

✔ You might find stores that match your customer base but aren't part of your current distribution network.

✔ With the census, you don’t just react to the market, you shape your place within it.

Powered by Methodology You Can Trust

RDM’s Retail Census 2025 is built on a robust, multi-layered process:

✔ 250+ field auditors covering stores across the country

✔ Electronic questionnaires and digital tracking for reliable data

✔ Store-level profiling including GPS, category handling, and retail format

✔ Supervision by 12 Area Managers and 3 Regional Managers

✔ Access to online dashboards that visualize trends and benchmarks in real time

What’s Next?

The Romanian market will continue to change. Cities will grow, incomes will rise, shopper behaviors will evolve, and global economic conditions will keep influencing local choices. The question is: will your brand keep pace?

With the census, you’re not reacting to the market, you’re anticipating it.

✔ Refine your presence

✔ Focus where growth is happening

✔ Remove blind spots in your strategy

Final Thought

Markets change. Consumer behavior shifts. Stores open and close. The only way to stay competitive is to update your understanding of where the real opportunities lie. That starts with mapping.

Want to learn more about how the Retail Census can support your 2025 strategy? Let’s talk.