Closure of all 7-Eleven convenience stores in India

All 7-Eleven convenience stores in India closed in September, the brand's Japanese parent company announced on Tuesday, with media reporting that the retail giant had struggled to cope with local competition.

“We confirm that our master franchisee, Reliance, which operates 7-Eleven stores in Mumbai and Pune, has closed its 31 stores on September 30,” Seven & i Holdings, owner of the world's largest convenience store chain, said in a statement.

7-Eleven is a global chain of convenience stores known in particular for its snacks, drinks and essential products to take away quickly, with stores often open 24 hours a day. Its competitor Lawson indicated at the beginning of the year that it planned to open its first store in India in 2027 and to develop its activity there to reach around a hundred stores by 2030, presenting India as one of its future key markets after China.

After signing a licensing agreement with the Indian company Reliance Retail, the brand opened its first store in India in Bombay in October 2021, before expanding to around sixty points of sale, a spokesperson for Seven & i Holdings told AFP. The Japanese group did not wish to specify the reasons for these closures, but the Japanese newspapers Nikkei and Yomiuri reported that the company had struggled to face strong competition from Indian distributors.

However, Seven & i Holdings has not given up its activities in India in the long term, the group said. “While our ambition to serve customers in India remains, we look forward to exploring several options to grow our presence in this market in the long term,” Seven & i Holdings said.