ParknShop
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (Supermarket) |
| Founded | 1973 in Stanley, Hong Kong |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong , China |
Area served | Hong Kong, Macau, mainland China |
| Products | Groceries, private label products (including fresh market and Best Buy), exclusive selections from Waitrose and Groupe Casino |
| Owner | CK Hutchison Holdings Limited (via A.S. Watson Group) |
Number of employees | Approximately 9,000 (in Hong Kong) |
| Parent | A.S. Watson Group |
| Website | www |
ParknShop (presented as PARKnSHOP, ) ranks among the two leading supermarket chains in Hong Kong, alongside Wellcome. It manages a network of more than 200 stores throughout Hong Kong, Macau, and mainland China.
Established in 1973 with its inaugural outlet located in Stanley, Hong Kong, ParknShop operated solely within Hong Kong until it began extending its reach beyond the territory in the mid-1980s. The company is a member of the A.S. Watson Group, which is under the umbrella of CK Hutchison Holdings Limited.
Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, ParknShop runs upwards of 300 retail locations staffed by approximately 9,000 employees. The chain introduced the first local superstore in 1996 at Phase 12 of Whampoa Garden, occupying an area of 4,200 m². Subsequently, it launched its initial megastore in 2002 at Metro City in Tseung Kwan O, offering 6,700 m² of retail space.
Until 2021, the AS Watson Group oversaw several upscale supermarket brands aimed at affluent customers. These comprised a single Great outlet at Pacific Place, two Gourmet stores located at Lee Tung Avenue (Wan Chai) and Caine Road (Mid-Levels), as well as 14 other Taste branches. The International by ParknShop label debuted in 2006 with stores in Happy Valley and Admiralty, focusing on organic products. In 2008, Fusion by ParknShop was introduced with its first store opening in Discovery Bay; both brands subsequently expanded to multiple sites.
These premium supermarkets market themselves as "lifestyle" food destinations, providing an extensive selection of imported goods alongside fresh food and non-food merchandise. This upscale concept originated in November 2004 when a 3,500 m² ParknShop at Festival Walk in Kowloon Tong was transformed into a Taste store.
Mainland China
ParknShop ventured into the mainland China market in 1984 by opening its first outlet in Shekou, becoming the pioneer foreign retailer on the mainland. The chain’s first superstore on the mainland appeared in 2000, followed by its inaugural megastore in 2001 situated in the Tianhe area of Guangzhou. Currently, approximately sixty ParknShop outlets operate across northern and southern regions of China, including cities such as Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dongguan, Zhuhai, and Huizhou.
Labour outsourcing
In April 2005, ParknShop outsourced its fresh food counter staff, leading to the termination of 525 workers, including those employed at the rebranded Taste location within Festival Walk. Most layoffs took place just before the Chinese New Year celebrations in 2006. Although around 90% were rehired by subcontractors, wages reportedly decreased by as much as 44%, while working hours extended from 10 to 12 hours per day, lowering the average hourly pay to HK$18. The company’s union condemned these adjustments for negatively affecting long-serving employees.
Proposed sale by Hutchison
In 2013, Hutchison launched a strategic evaluation of ParknShop and solicited bids estimated between US$3 billion and US$4 billion. Eight parties submitted offers, including China Resources Vanguard, Wal-Mart Stores, Aeon, Woolworths, Wesfarmers, CP Group, and Sun Art Retail. Nevertheless, by October of that year, Hutchison opted to retain ownership of ParknShop and concentrate on expanding its operations within China.
Private Label Products
ParknShop offers a variety of items under its own brands, including private label, fresh market, and Best Buy. Additionally, the retailer features exclusive selections sourced from Waitrose in the United Kingdom and Groupe Casino in France.
The supermarket chain has encountered several food safety issues over the years. In 2007, it was penalized HK$45,000 for incorrectly labeling oil fish as cod following customer complaints of illness. In 2015, accusations emerged regarding the sale of spoiled eggs and the refusal to allow inspections by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD). During 2017, when Hong Kong was impacted by a Brazilian meat safety controversy, ParknShop promptly withdrew all Brazilian pork, beef, and chicken products from its stores. That same year, the company was implicated in the Europe Egg Scandal involving insecticide contamination; affected egg batches were recalled in accordance with government orders. Reports also surfaced of moldy candied winter melon being sold in Guangzhou outlets.
ParknShop is part of A.S. Watson’s loyalty initiative known as MoneyBack.
See also
- City'super
- Wellcome Supermarkets