Walmart is taking its community store format outside South China for the first time, opening in Suzhou with an initial plan for 10-15 outlets as it pursues a third growth path beyond hypermarkets and ecommerce. The retailer said the move followed successful testing in Shenzhen, where it had 12 community stores by the end of March 2026. The smaller format, typically about 500m2 with around 2,000 SKUs, focuses on high-frequency neighbourhood shopping and rapid delivery. (Ebrun)