*2.4. Consumers' Perspective in the World's Largest Market towards Sustainable Consumption* 2.4.1. Global Consumers' Perception of the Sustainability Imperative

As sustainable consumption and production are inextricably linked, the United Nations Division for Sustainable Development [115] used the term Global Consumer in a background paper for the U.N. Inter-Regional Expert Group Meeting on Consumer Protection and Sustainable Consumption, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Within this framework was highlighted the need of reinforcing the recognition of consumers' crucial role in protecting the global environment by including sustainable consumption objectives in the Guidelines for Consumer Protection. According to Jansson-Boyd [116], there are broader implications for the purchasing habits within the context of a global impact on consumer behavior crossing national borders as well as given the fact that many brands are frequently consumed across the world.

On the occasion of the 24th International Congress of the International Association of the Distributive Trade (A.I.D.A.), organized in Bucharest, Romania, on 18–19 May 1998, Jean-Jacques Van Den Heede, Vice-President Nielsen, spoke about the emergence of new technologies and the diversification of store concepts, as well as about a new type of relationship with consumers globally including by adopting more sustainable behaviors [117]. Louis Guelette, IBM Vice President, Distribution, underlined the significance of the real revolution in the management of distribution companies and their suppliers, within the context of e-business, its subset e-commerce, information technologies, and the adaptation of business to a society having sustainable development at its heart. The 2015 Global Sustainability Report launched by Nielsen [118] has provided new valuable insights on consumer expectations globally (with 30,000 consumers being surveyed in 60 countries throughout Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and North America). Among these insights are that some of the more traditional influences for many consumers were surpassed by commitment to social and environmental responsibility, with brand trust topping the list of sustainability factors influencing consumers' purchasing for 62% of consumers globally; that there is a greater likelihood for consumers in developing markets to both seek out and pay more for sustainable products, it generally being harder to influence consumers in developed markets (to purchase or pay more); that it is becoming more and more important to understand the connection between consumers' sentiments and their purchasing actions, with certain marketing messages that reach consumers by resonating with them as true value propositions.

Steenkamp [119] made a comparative analysis of global consumer culture (as an important force in the marketplace) and local consumer culture (enjoying a renewed interest within the suggested stalling or evolving of globalization). He highlighted, among other aspects, that it would be justifiable to focus initially on the demand side within the context of the underexplored contribution of consumer culture to brand equity. As a brand's commercial value derives from consumers' perception (driven by positive or negative consumer experience) of the brand name, it is a priority to consider the impact of cultural marketing strategies, with the global consumer culture remaining a necessary topic for international marketing researchers.

Known worldwide for doing consumer-sentiment surveys, McKinsey [120] analyzed Generation Z and the Latin American consumers and revealed, for instance, the difference between Brazilian consumers (with very low levels of online shopping or online use of services prior to COVID-19) and Chinese consumers (who were already highly digital prior to COVID-19). Brazilians were usually very optimistic, but the unprecedented crisis touched them and made them significantly less optimistic, which was also translated into much more realism and expected planning in the future, as well as substantially more questioning or analyzing of their spending levels. The belief of McKinsey's researchers was that lack of trust in the retailer, the incredibly complicated logistics, or the online payments in Brazil were some of the factors preventing Brazilian consumers (according to their consumer experience) from buying online, but the COVID-19 crisis made them available for it. McKinsey's researchers also underlined something that gave them optimism, namely, the good example of the Brazilian company Alpargatas, Sao Paulo, Brazil (Alpargatas being known for its iconic brands such as Havaianas slippers) which has been very connected with sustainability initiatives. To understand Asia's Generation Z better, McKinsey [121] surveyed 16,000 consumers (in Australia, China, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand), and compared them with Millennials and members of Generation X (born from 1965 to 1979). Research findings showed many similarities between members of Generation Z and Millennials in the ways they think and shop, with customization becoming an expectation (not a nice-to-have option), for instance, in both cohorts. Furthermore, despite the fact that Asia's Generation-Z respondents said that they prefer ethical products, only a minority were willing to pay more for these products. Among Asia's Gen Z, the largest segments are the so-called brand-conscious followers (representing about 1/4 of respondents surveyed, those following trends and then buying usually online), premium shopaholics (enjoying every part of the shopping process), and ethical confidents (liking brands speaking to their values, preferring brands perceived as environmentally responsible and socially ethical).

The EY Future Consumer Index 2021 [122] stated as follows: 'There is no single "Sustainable Consumer". Values and attitudes vary. The nuance is critical. Many people would be willing to pay more if your product reflected their specific agenda. Consumers will look beyond a brand to consider the sustainability of your full value chain.' EY identified 'nuanced, complex, and often paradoxical differences' concerning 'what consumers value and which values they are prepared to actually pay for', which 'varies across countries, categories and segments.' But there is no doubt that: the largest segment of consumers (31%) is formed by 'Affordability first' (when the product price is low enough to have enough money to buy it); sustainability is seen through a different lens, and its priorities differ by country; there are generational differences; when purchasing sustainable products, consumer considerations differ by product category; globally, consumers have high expectations from companies' and brands' involvement in a sustainable future, assuming responsibility for ensuring transparency.

A recent global research study of more than 1000 technology marketing and PR decision-makers (across the U.S., Germany, U.K., Singapore, and China) released by Allison+Partners, San Francisco, CA, USA [123] revealed the disconnection between perception and reality (despite consumers' higher levels of purchasing decisions based on brand strength, mission, and values) caused by various aspects, such as major disparities between the messages' orchestrators and creators and those on the frontlines; that brand-led storylines are not receiving immediate attention and action when sales are getting involved; and that companies are not providing more authentic storytelling across all relevant markets (messages and media supported by technology used by marketers to communicate suffering from misalignment, exposure to unnecessary risk, channel inconsistency, etc.).

The second annual IBM, Armonk, NY, USA and National Retail Federation, Washington, DC, USA, global consumer retail study (there were 19,103 consumers surveyed across 28 countries in Fall 2021), entitled 'Consumers want it all: Hybrid shopping, sustainability

and purpose-driven brands' (and conducted by the IBM Institute for Business Value) has just been published [124]. This study reveals significant aspects, such as that sustainability is important, but fewer than 1/3 of consumers said that sustainable products represented more than half of their last purchase; that consumers shop via mobile apps (50%) and through websites (42%), but the majority still shop in store (65%), with younger generations being more likely to prefer hybrid shopping, as in the case of Generation Z (in-store shopping, 37%; hybrid shopping, 36%; online shopping, 28%); that sustainability-driven consumers are likely to be purpose-driven, while purpose-driven consumers are more likely (75% vs. 59%) to do research online, to buy more than what is on their shopping list (64% vs. 52%), to receive inspiration from social media posts (61% vs. 39%), and to introduce the brand or product to friends and family (58% vs. 36%); and that big retailers are significantly driving value with Artificial Intelligence (AI).

2.4.2. Continuous Acceleration and Expansion of the Chinese Consumers' Trends Existing Earlier in Time, Based on Improving Consumer Experience

In November 2015, a book entitled *China* was launched in Romania. The author of the first chapter of this book posted a newsletter article ("A book to understand Modern China") on the blog of the Romanian Distribution Committee Magazine, Bucharest, Romania [125]. This first chapter is subdivided into the following sections: Memories marked by a smile, the shortest path between friends; Goodwill as a fundamental value and cultural renaissance in the 21st century articulated on rapid economic development. A new economic development model; The Chinese model, the first place in terms of ability to stimulate the economy. China's strategy to build a harmonious society internally and a harmonious world internationally; Towards a sustainable model that balances growth with social harmony and innovation with environmental protection. A more profound ontology of social entrepreneurship; Evolving economic profiles of Chinese consumers, the most important trend in the development of the Chinese market. The revolution of sales of goods online; Forces which forge the future of China, and building the necessary skills to move forward. Challenges for scientific researchers in the field of international and comparative political economy; Instead of conclusions, also a smile, thinking about the wisdom of promoting consensus for a harmonious world.

The COVID-19 crisis impacted from the very beginning the shopping habits not only of Chinese consumers', but also of consumers and brands globally. Beyond the immediately obvious need for increased consumer and retailer employee protection, there was a rapid awareness of the importance of valorizing digital transformation, taking into account that the impact of the unprecedented crisis on geographies, channels, and categories was confirmed by retailers' POS data. Both a digital-first approach and agile organizational capabilities were required, as was increasing consumers' digital end-to-end engagement, increasing the transformation of people's capabilities and ways of working and of technology, and delivering value for consumers who are changing their shopping habits [126]. Two more implications were added to those already underlined, namely, the need of a continuous alignment of retailers with consumer trends (healthy, local, and delivering value) and an increased agility and resilience of retailers' supply chain. According to Poh, Zipser, and Toriello [127], there was a continuous acceleration and amplification in the importance of consumer trends existing prior to the current crisis, which was faced with resilience and confidence, even optimism, with all these also being translated into consumers' spending.

As we showed earlier, scholars have recognized that, the most central enabler of circular business models being the consumer, the circular economy has become the primary framework to examine sustainability in practice, and the interest in circular economy solutions is expanding very quickly; there were important lessons identified resulting from the Chinese model of regional governance, which has gone beyond the large-scale demonstrations funded by EU's Horizon 2020 program, and is more coordinated than the experimentation occurring among EU, Maastricht, The Netherlands or OECD, Paris, France member states; the new EU's Circular Economy Action Plan confirms that the EU will continue to lead the way toward a circular economy at the global level, one of the recent deliverables being the Global Alliance on Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency, launched in February 2021 with the UNEP, Nairobi, Kenya and in coordination with the UNIDO, Vienna, Austria. We have also seen earlier that today's consumers are fully embracing digital technology, by considering the experiences they have with other companies globally, using web and mobile apps to find information instantaneously, and pressuring companies to level up their experiences; that users change over time how they engage with a product or service, and business needs to change in response to users' expectations and feedback; that, to respond faster to the current crisis, McKinsey recommended that companies build an agile culture and adapt to the next normal in retail, considering the consumer experience imperative.

McKinsey also recently shared new crucial lessons to learn with regard to how China is performing versus other retail markets. A special edition of the China Consumer Report [128] provided consumer and retail companies with the necessary insights within the challenging current crisis environment. The research findings revealed significant aspects, such as that China is growing in importance both as a consumer market and as a source of capital and goods, and is having a considerable impact on global supply chain management; that the acceleration of several preexistent trends (digital tools becoming increasingly popular solutions; the increasing role of technology and agility; Chinese consumers, especially the young, becoming more prudent and health-conscious, seeking better quality and healthier options); how the Chinese consumers remain among the most optimistic in these trying times; how the key players in grocery retail must strategically move to keep pace with the digital innovation happening very rapidly; that both well-known mega platforms such as Alibaba, Hangzhou, China and Tencent, Shenzhen, China and new platforms such as TikTok/Douyin and Bilibili are becoming increasingly relevant and are determining a hyper-fragmentation of outlets for reaching consumers (the so-called 'dustification' of consumer attention, where attention is defined as meaningful engagement); that 50% percent of Chinese consumers' shopping interest, and 25% of their purchases, were driven by the time spent using social or content apps; the increasing number of active monthly users of key social commerce platforms such as Pinduoduo, Shanghai, China and Xingsheng Selected, Changsha, China, with these being identified as five major archetypes in China's social commerce (Social-first commerce; E-commerce platform with social marketing; Social discounter; Community buy/S2B2C; and Social DTC); how critical these uncertain times are becoming to developing end-to-end omnichannel capabilities; how the next engine of China's domestic consumption growth is represented by Generation Z (the cohort of digital native consumers born between 1996 and 2010, about 15% of China's population), who tend to outspend their budget and desire unique products and services, are relatively more loyal to brands, and compared to Generation Z in other countries are more used to omnichannel shopping experiences but prefer individual merchants on ecommerce platforms; and that as Chinese consumers are becoming increasingly mature and consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies need sustainable growth, McKinsey's representatives recommend CPG to achieve this through revenue growth management (RGM, based on deep insights into how and why Chinese shoppers purchase certain products) and the gradual implementation of a series of short- and longer-term measures.

2.4.3. China's Sustainable Future Is Significantly Challenging the Other Main Global Actors, and Not Only Them

Beyond well-known aspects—such as "Circular economy", "Ecological civilization", and "Beautiful China" as the key concepts of green China, one of the key pillars of China's green transformation has been technological innovation; the cornerstones of China's green manufacturing system that is rapidly taking shape: green factories, products, industrial parks, and supply chains—there is no doubt that increasing Chinese investments in future technologies and strategic bets for its sustainable future will significantly challenge the

other main global actors [129]. The Brookings Institution [130] made reference very recently to the agreement to perform a two-year project entitled "Global China: Assessing China's Growing Role in the World", which confirms the Brookings scholars' preoccupation with the impact of China as a truly global actor on every region and major-issue area.

New Chinese studies confirmed the evolution with regard to Chinese consumers' perception on sustainability [131]: a rising better understanding of the importance of sustainable consumption in supporting a sustainable living environment, a slightly greater awareness of sustainable consumption among women compared to men, and more attention to sustainable consumption being paid by young people compared to older consumers, while from the point of view of the proportion of awareness on sustainability, it is much lower in the first tiers compared to lower tiers (according to MP Weixin QQ com/WeChat, a Chinese multi-purpose instant messaging, social media, and mobile payment app developed by Tencent, Shenzhen, China); the strongest sustainable consumption ability is possessed by Chinese consumers aged 30 to 49, but the most interest and awareness in this consumption is shown by young people between ages 20 and 29 (according to China Chain store and Franchise Association); more and more Chinese consumers are following the concept of "less is more" (rethinking how much they buy), staying away from fast fashion (which has a large environmental footprint for its production and disposal); and as knowledge is scarce, an essential role in educating Chinese consumers is played by sustainability-conscious Chinese key opinion leaders (KOLs, social media influencers having large numbers of followers on sites such as MP Weixin QQ com/WeChat, TikTok/Douyin, Bilibili—China's YouTube, Xiaohongshu/Little Red Book—China's Instagram).

On the other hand, new research from The Silk Initiative [132] with regard to what sustainability means to Chinese consumers started from the assertion that global consumers are increasingly acknowledging the impact of their personal consumption on both society and the environment, and are becoming more and more conscious about purchasing products which are environmentally or ethically sustainable. The edition of the TSI Navigator™ Compass published in October 2021 (a TSI's dynamic data-intelligence platform collecting, analyzing, and visualizing the food and beverage landscape in multiple Asian markets) revealed significant findings [133], such as: how sustainability, as a purchase driver, is still nascent (despite the fact that most consumers agree on the importance of sustainability-related issues), with quality, taste, and safety continuing to be the most critical to conversion; that four main eco-segments were identified, namely, eco-unfamiliars, eco-ambivalents, eco-adopters, and eco-leaders (ranging from having very little knowledge of sustainability to waving the green flag of eco-consciousness); that cost is the most obvious barrier to eco-adoption, followed by a general lack of education and effective communication concerning sustainability, as well as an image problem associated with the fact that sustainable products negatively impact the taste (despite their healthy and safe characteristics) of the food and beverage product; that eco-adoption is driven by consumers' place in society, personal health and wellness, and lifestyle; that it is important for brands to provide easy-to-understand claims with direct benefits to consumers, considering the role of: packaging (the first thing consumers are going to see about a product when scanning supermarket shelves), the brand's right emotional space (sustainable products being considered more sincere and loyal to their consumers), creative, impactful and memorable campaigns (engaging consumers with sustainability messaging with the help of a mix of virtual activities, interactive displays, and offline events).

With regard to packaging, it is worth mentioning within this framework that: the above-mentioned study by Accenture and WWF Singapore, Singapore showed that top consumer demands from e-commerce platforms are less packaging and reverse logistics, while in choosing sustainable disposal options in everyday shopping over 30% of consumers consider sustainable ingredients and packaging as top factors; the above-mentioned exploratory study on Romanian consumers' behavior concerning sustainable packaging [70] revealed not only that an important factor preventing Romanian consumers from adopting sustainable behavior is the lack of information (on environmental packaging, which has

a lower cost due to recycling and is more resistant over time), but also that Romanian consumers' willingness to pay more is due to their awareness of the impact of packaging used on the environment and their assumed responsibility for protecting it. On the other hand, on the occasion of the recent Business & Academic Partnership 2021, The 12th Supply Chain Management for Efficient Consumer Response Conference, SCM 4 ECR (an annual event jointly organized in Romania, with the 2021 theme being "Building supply and demand network resilience through digital transformation"), reference was made also to the environmental problems caused by excess packaging and the impact of packaging waste in the entire supply chain. This reference was made in the context in which The Consumer Goods Forum CGF, Paris (the Global Network Serving Shopper & Consumer Needs) launched in April 2021 an excess-packaging survey focused on total supply chain brick and mortar as well as growing online business, and had as title Drivers: Environmental Impact and Cost Reduction [134]. As shown very recently by The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF): packaging needs to become part of a circular economy [135]; the 2022 CGF China Day, which will take place in Shanghai on 17–18 February 2022, is expected to share both cutting-edge insights and positive-change best practices in food safety, health, sustainability, and the end-to-end value chain [136].

There are some similarities and differences between consumers in the three countries mentioned above. These aspects challenge us to further explore the cross-cultural context to identify some practical insights (for instance, as we will show below in the next sub-section, Romanian consumers said that they prefer to buy online from stores in China more than from stores in EU member states and the USA, while in the top foreign platforms preferred by Romanians AliExpress/Alibaba Group ranks second, in front of Amazon, Bellevue, WA, USA). There were also some other interesting evolutions in the Romanian retail market and not only there. For example, the largest Chinatown complex in Southeast Europe was opened in Romania in July 2011; a Business Review analysis in March 2020 identified China as the seventh trading partner of Romania [137]; in February 2021, Money Buzz! Europa (Money and Business News from Europe) made known that the Chinese retailer Mumuso, Shanghai, China (a fashion brand addressed to young people) opened its fourth mono-brand store in Romania [138]; China is recognized as the world's largest trader and manufacturer; and there is a relatively large number of sister cities (and sister counties) in Romania, such as Bucharest as the sister city of Beijing, and Constant,a as the sister city of Shanghai, as well as four active Confucius Institutes [139].

Without a doubt, the business world is continuing to identify lessons to learn from China's experience in better mastering the crisis compared to other countries, and the fastexpanding Chinese retail market is considered a reference point in digital transformation while businesses are struggling to make themselves more sustainable.

Within a global consumer society reflecting consumers' global access to borderless supply and their need of trust as the most important sustainability factor influencing their purchasing on the one hand, and an underexplored contribution of sustainable consumer culture to brand equity on the other, more research is needed to shift consumers towards sustainable choices to make them consider sustainability when making a purchase and, when using and disposing of a product, favor those CPG companies and retailers that have, for instance, a positive approach towards environmental sustainability. It is required to first maintain sustainability and then to make it climb retailers' scale of priorities and connect retailers' sustainability agenda (including by fulfilling consumers' sustainability demands with new products and processes) with other strategic priorities such as supply chain disruptions, which play a key role in stalling globalization. Moreover, there is a complementarity of sustainability and digital technology if we consider, for instance: the possibility to unlock product data in a standardized way; the energy used at the level of a supply chain needing to be made more agile, including by avoiding risk; the impact of disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence (used to identify trends in order to better understand and help consumers) on consumers' buying behavior and perceptions. It is important for retailers within this framework to address the challenge for

their sustainability agenda of clarifying how their need to translate consumers' uncertainty into trust (identifying risks associated with disruptive technologies and making them less severe) is influenced positively (more or less) both by consumers' willingness to change their shopping habits to reduce their environmental impact, and retailers' digital transformation to aid consumers to adopt more sustainable lifestyles and make informed choices in the omnichannel world.

#### *2.5. The Romanian Retail Sector's Key Role in Sustainable Production and Consumption, and the Increasing Role of Sustainable Consumer Behavior in Romania*

A market study by Flanders Investment & Trade [140] underlined that in terms of consumer potential Romania is the second market after Poland in Eastern Europe, and has a strategic location at the crossroads of three great markets (the EU, the CIS, and the Middle East), being a bridge between East and West for a market of 500 million consumers; there is hence great potential for trade. Focused on the e-commerce market in Romania, this study, launched in December 2020, made reference, among other aspects, to the Association of Big Retailers in Romania (AMRCR, Bucharest, Romania), to the Romanian Association of Online Stores (ARMO, Bucharest, Romania), and to the fact that Romania is also part of the International Market Place Network (IMN, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Nederland), including Emag Romania (the main Romanian player), Cdiscount France, ePrice Italy, and Real.de Germany. Other trends and opportunities were also revealed, such as: the expansion at the international level of local e-commerce major players, people's openness to global and international players, the expansion of logistics storage space (due to the increase in online sales and logistics optimization), the optimization of websites (consumers can easily access and shop by using their mobile device), and the development of fast delivery applications, etc.

The Romania—Market Overview by the US International Trade Administration [141–143] underlined the vast potential of the market (high-income mixed economy, high Human Development Index, skilled labor force, the largest electronics producer in Central and Eastern Europe/CEE) and its strategic location, as well as the fact that Romania, a leading destination in CEE for foreign direct investment, is ranked 12th in the European Union for total nominal GDP (and is the 7th largest when adjusted for purchasing power parity). From the point of view of distribution and sales channels, Romania's similarity to other European countries was highlighted with reference to wholesale, retail tiers, and support services (such as packaging, warehousing, and merchandising), which are considered fully developed. Also underlined were both the similarity to other European countries of the range of retail outlets (hypermarkets, supermarkets, cash and carry, department stores, specialty shops, gas station convenience stores, DIY shops, kiosks, street vendors, open-air markets, and wholesale centers) and the local retail market dominance in the Big Box segment by Carrefour, Cora, Kaufland, Lidl, and Mega Image on the one hand and in the cash-and-carry segment by Metro and Selgros on the other hand. With regard to Romania's e-commerce market (with the context favoring the adoption of e-commerce, which for 2021 is expected to increase by 20–30%), there were revealed various aspects, such as: that revenue was projected to reach USD 3208 million in 2021, with an expected annual growth rate (CAGR 2021–2025) of 9.20%, resulting in a projected market volume of USD 4562 million by 2025; that by 2025, the number of users is expected to amount to 10.6 million users; that in 2021, user penetration will be 48.1%, and it is expected to hit 56.7% by 2025; that the average revenue per user (ARPU) is expected to amount to USD 348.50; with a projected market volume of USD 1,542,551 million in 2021, with most revenue being generated in China; that an increasingly important role in the sales strategy has been gained by the social networks; that live shopping (according to Veranda Shop Online) will also develop, mainly for niche products; that for August 2021, the most visited of Romania's e-commerce and shopping websites was emag.ro, followed by olx.ro and compari.ro; that nearly 1/3 of Romanian consumers (according to an iSense Solutions study for GPeC) said that they prefer to buy online from stores in China (27%) rather than from

stores in EU member states (23%) and the USA (4%), while in the top foreign platforms preferred by Romanians AliExpress (Alibaba Group, Hangzhou, China) ranks second, in front of Amazon, Bellevue, WA, USA.

#### 2.5.1. The Romanian Retail Market, an Important Market for Supermarket Chains

Step by step, Romanian retail market has become an important market for the large distribution chains [144]. CBRE (CB Richard Ellis, or CBRE, Dallas, Texas, USA; in 2021, Fortune named CBRE the Most Admired real estate company for the third year in a row; its ninth time on the list) underlined in 2015 that: in Romania, after the boom period of 2006–2008 (when the predominant business model was a franchisee operation) and the very difficult period during 2009–2013, the recovery showed its signs step by step, but the market continued to be polarized between dominant centers and secondary schemes; it is a real need for attaining a profound understanding of Romanian consumer behavior, the country being ranked in the 22nd position globally out of 67 markets in terms of attractiveness and future plans of retailers for expansion [145]. Tanase [146] showed that 2015 was one of growth for FMCG sales in major retailers, mostly due to their continuous investment and expansion, covering more and more retail formats (this evolution being made at the expense of small businesses in the traditional trade).

Romania recorded significant progress on the e-commerce market impacted by the champion Emag (Dante Group – Dante International SA, Bucharest, Romania) Marketplace, according to a report conducted by the Romanian Competition Authority in 2018 [147]. From the point of view of the cumulative segment of online sales and physical stores, the market leader Dante Group recorded a slight and continuous decline in its market share, while the challenger Altex Group, Voluntari, Romania, continuously recovered from the difference in the period 2013–2016, but at the level of the market shares of the main online retailers Altex maintained its leadership position, while Dante remained in second place. In 2016 some structural changes took place: PC Garage joined Dante group, while the platforms owned by Kelion and domo.ro platform joined the platforms group owned by Corsar. The above-mentioned report underlined among other aspects that according to data (collected on 10 December 2017) from Alexa.com (an Amazon.com company; it will be retired on 1 May 2022), Emag.ro was the only trading platform which entered the top 20 in popularity for the main online trading platforms (being outperformed only by sites belonging to foreign entities such as Google, YouTube, Facebook, Yahoo, etc.) on the basis of average daily traffic and number of pages visited (being followed the in top 100 by: altex.ro—ranked no. 24, pcgarage.ro—no. 38, cel.ro—no. 63, mediagalaxy.ro—no. 99 ¸si flanco.ro—no. 100).

According to Colliers [148], both retailers' activity and expectations in Romania were affected by the COVID-19 crisis, including from the point of view of consumers' appetite for shopping. On the other hand, dramatic shift was recorded in Romanian consumers in favor of online shopping (but this trend was already visible prior to the pandemic) beginning with the first Romanian COVID-19 case [149], and a possible acceleration of the offline–online convergence in retail was also announced [150]. Research findings from Deloitte Romania, Bucharest, Romania, based on a Deloitte Romanian Consumer Trends questionnaire, highlighted how retailers were challenged to embrace new technology more quickly than they had planned, following the identified consumers' preferences: there was a predominance among the socially conscious shoppers in supporting local brands (55%), then the convenience seekers (33%) and the bargain hunters (7%), as well as the stockpilers (6%). Furthermore, a recent Romania Overview by Colliers [151] showed the intention of major FMCG chains to expand their e-sales business within the context of the shopping patterns changed by COVID-19.

Statista presented in July 2021 the major retail chains for food shopping in Romania in 2020, according to revenue [152]. The total number of retail chains in Romania (as of June 2021) was also presented by Statista [153]. On 12 January 2022, the Romanian Distribution Committee [154] presented the traditional Top Retailers of the Romanian Market by Number of Stores (including all the stores operating by 31 December 2021), as shown in below (Figure 1).


**Figure 1.** Top Retailers of the Romanian Market by Number of Stores (2021). Source: Romanian Distribution Committee, 2022 (work cited).

It is interesting to note that prior to the GPeC SUMMIT, November 2021, Bucharest, Romania (considered to be the most important e-commerce and digital marketing event in the region), GPeC provided information, among other things, about various subjects, for instance, that Romanians' trust in online stores has increased significantly from 32% in 2020 to 41% in 2021 (according to the "International eComm Pulse 2021" study by iSense Solutions for GPeC), showing how online shopping is becoming a common way to shop; that 20% of Romanians ordered online for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, and 85% of those who buy online have expanded the range of products purchased online with at least one new category (according to a study conducted by Nielsen Norman Group, Fremont, CA, USA, in early 2021); that, compared to 2020, online commerce in Romania will increase in 2021 by approximately 15% (GPeC estimate, together with the main players), bringing the entire sector to approximately 6.5 billion euros generated by online sales, compared to 5.6 billion euros at the end of last year [155].

2.5.2. Romanian Green Consumers and Implementation of Sustainable Development Policies on the Romanian Retail Market

The key role played by the retail sector in sustainable production (improving green supply chains, taking into account retailers' impact linked to store and warehouse operations and logistics, etc.) and consumption (improving retailers' own environmental performance, promoting the purchase of green products, and better informing consumers) was recognized in the European Commission's proposal for a Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) Action Plan in July 2008 [156]. Despite this fact, further research on the sites (non-updated with the latest information) of the Romanian retail companies (belonging to international groups) revealed that only six (from 11 selected) companies have some (relatively low) concerns about the implementation of sustainable development policies, mainly related to corporate social responsibility and environmental protection, and only sporadic actions with regard to raise awareness of consumers and producers have been taken [157]. Dabija and Pop [158]. They also underlined the increase of retailers' green marketing-specific actions undertaken in the last few years, valuing more and more the inclusion of sustainability concepts and being ready to intervene in their target segments' environmentally friendly education.

Concerning the Romanian green consumers, other research findings published in 2015 noted their education and buying power (with retail stores frequented by better-off shoppers being identified as the most promising outlets for green products appealing to these discerning green customers). The authors highlighted the need of continuing to increase green marketing practices by considering both consumers' income and information in helping them choose green products [159]. Next year, the results of the fourth of Romania's top supermarkets surveys (11 retailers: Auchan, Billa, Carrefour, Cora, Kaufland, Lidl, Mega Image, Metro, Profi, Penny Market, and Selgros) conducted by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Bucharest, Romania (introduced in 2012, the WWF Retailer Scorecard annual survey assesses retailers' environmental performance by analyzing their environmental policies and the availability of certified products on retailers' shelves) showed only still small improvements (with only Kaufland obtaining half of the maximum score, followed by Auchan, Carrefour, Mega Image, and Billa, which scored above 40%, while Profi, Lidl, Cora, Penny Market, Metro, and Selgros obtained much lower scores). The few steps in the right direction need to be continued in accordance with both changing consumer behavior and the introduction of a new business model based on the inclusion of sustainability [160].

Dabija, Bejan, and Grant [161] explored deeply the impact of consumers' green behavior on green loyalty on the Romanian retail market, providing a good analysis in four retail formats (based on consumption patterns, shopping habits, and shopping behaviors, and demonstrating empirically some significant differences in the generation of consumers' green loyalty for these retail formats). Romanian consumers are in general increasingly aware of the need to adopt green behavior. The study also highlighted the combined effects on green loyalty in retail of green behavior, responsible consumption, and predisposition for environmental protection, without neglecting to suggest, among future research directions in building green loyalty, the need to analyze other retail-specific elements such as product assortment, ambience, personnel, etc. Dabija, Bejan, and Dinu [162] showed the connection between Generation Z's sustainable behavior and their preferences, attitudes, and reasons in choosing those retailers that intend strongly to implement green and sustainable offers. Generation Z is greener, sustainability-oriented, and tech-savvy, and retailers need to reflect, adopt, and implement green strategies accordingly. While Dabija, Bejan, and Puscas [163] investigated Generation Z (who are more concerned about environmental protection actions and are keener to adopt green products), their research findings indicated the respondents' favorability toward retailers' sustainability orientation (those with useful and proactive contributions to both resource preservation and environmental protection), including looking after employees' welfare and being involved in their local communities.

In the last few years, there was a significant evolution in preoccupations with circular economy, sustainability, and sustainable development on the Romanian retail market. For instance, the second sustainability report by Kaufland [164], which covered the 2017 financial year (1 March 2017–28 February 2018), underlined that sustainability is essential to how they do business, with its key impact areas being mainly associated with 5 of the 17 UN SDG goals (hunger, well-being, education, economic growth, and sustainable consumption and production). This also means being involved, including in the largest national ecological education campaign (Let's Get Green!), a project organized by Let's Do It, Romania! (LIDR) in partnership with Kaufland Romania. In October 2020 the Environmental Manager at Carrefour Romania spoke, for example, about their packaging policy (including how their own brand products are packaged) and their circular economy project "We value plastic", as well as about consumers' education [165].

The Act For Good initiative, launched in 2021 by Carrefour, allowed shoppers to receive points (a unique shopper's code could be activated in any Carrefour supermarket at the cash register by downloading the Carrefour app) and to benefit from a personalized experience with social impact in just one place [166]. On 24 March 2021, Lidl Romania submitted its third sustainability report to the Secretary-General of the United Nations as an indication of a full embrace by Lidl Romania of the UN Global Compact and its principles and its continuing efforts to contribute to the UN SDGs and related targets [167]. In this third sustainability report, Lidl Romania (Reporting period: 1 March 2019–29 February 2020) confirmed key aspects of its sustainability strategy, including recyclability (that all of Lidl own-brand product packaging, approximately 80% of its product range, would be recyclable in the highest possible proportion by 2025) and organic products according to their customers' preferences [168].

In November 2021, Auchan Romania launched its first Sustainability Report [169]. Auchan, known as a supporter of the circular economy, created a Textile Collection and Recycling Project. On the other hand, PENNY discounter is continuing its expansion plan in Romania, and started a big program of certification, BREEAM (Building Research Establishment's Environmental Assessment Method), for all its stores currently under construction [170].

There is a lack of studies concerning the particular configuration of the Romanian retail sector, which may have an impact upon the study's generalizability, by perceiving at least two aspects: as an EU member country, Romania has a strategic location at the crossroads of three great markets (the EU, the CIS, and the Middle East); it is a leading destination in CEE for foreign direct investment and is recognized for the similarities of its distribution and sales channels, the range of its retail outlets, and the local retail market dominance in the Big Box segment by reputed major retailers; Romania's e-commerce market is continuing to undergo spectacular evolution, including from the point of view of the long-standing and memorable traditional relationship between Romania and China, which was confirmed also more recently by Romanian consumers, who prefer to buy online from stores in China rather than from stores in EU member states and the USA, while in the top foreign platforms preferred by Romanians AliExpress/Alibaba Group ranks second, in front of the e-commerce giant Amazon.

The above-mentioned new information regarding the traditional Top Retailers of the Romanian Market by Number of Stores was added in the context of ongoing discussions at the level of the established 'Academic & Business Partnership' with: The Consumer Goods Forum, E2E Value Chain (Paris); the European Retail Academy (Roesrath, Germany); Professor John L. Stanton, Chairman and Professor of Food Marketing, St. Joseph's University Philadelphia (Philadelphia, PA, USA), Founder and Editor Journal of Food Product Marketing, U.S. Private Label Manufacturers Assoc. Hall of Fame, and European Retail Academy Hall of Fame; the Romanian Distribution Committee (organizer of the above-mentioned 24th International Congress of the International Association of the Distributive Trade); the Romanian Association for Consumers' Protection (APC Romania), Valahia University of Targoviste, Targoviste, Romania, University of Medicine and Pharmacy (UMF) 'Carol Davila' Bucharest, Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, etc.; and (other) foreign universities involved in the Academic & Business Partnership.
