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Third-Party Wholesaling in Europe - Market Size, Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecasts (2024-2029)

ISIC 461 March 2024 Spotlight Report

Revenue

€336.1bn

2019-2024 7.0 %
2024-2029 X.X %

Employees

1m

2019-2024 4.7 %
2024-2029 X.X %

Businesses

871k

2019-2024 6.7 %
2024-2029 X.X %

Wages

€XX.Xbn

2019-2024 X.X %
2024-2029 X.X %

Third-Party Wholesaling in Europe industry analysis

Over the five years through 2024, third-party wholesalers’ revenue is forecast to contract at a compound annual rate of 7%% to €336.1 billion. Strong economic headwinds have faced third-party wholesalers and their respective downstream markets, namely the fallout from the COVID-19 outbreak, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and crippling interest rates and price inflation. The diverse range of products supplied by third-party wholesalers has acted to reduce its vulnerability to volatile prices in commodity markets and dips in construction and manufacturing output in many European countries. The COVID-19 pandemic hit supply chains with severe disruption, sparking product shortages and rising costs associated with order fulfilment. Compliance costs are growing for wholesalers as regulations tighten on data collection, product and environmental standards. Central bankers have upped interest rates in a bid to reign in inflation, leading to substantial borrowing costs, which discourage investment in new construction projects. Revenue is anticipated to drop by 4.2% in 2024, heavily constrained by stuttering construction output in many European countries.

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Industry Statistics and Trends

Third-Party Wholesaling in Europe key trends

Supply chain disruptions have wreaked havoc on wholesalers.

 

Costs associated with sourcing products have risen for many wholesalers as they contend with product shortages.

Tech implementation presents profit possibilities.

 

Wholesalers can expand their profit margin by leveraging the latest warehouse and distribution automation innovations, robotics and data analytics.

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Third-Party Wholesaling in Europe

Industry Revenue

Total value and annual change from 2011-2029. Includes 5-year outlook.

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Third-Party Wholesaling in Europe market size (2019-2024)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 7.0 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated €336.1bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Supply chain disruptions and stricter regulations increase costs

  • The COVID-19 pandemic led to global supply chain disruptions, price volatility and resource shortages, hitting the availability and profitability of goods like electronics and raw materials.

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Third-Party Wholesaling in Europe outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Tech innovations present profitable opportunities

  • Third-party wholesalers that invest in logistics automation and leverage data-driven strategies will boost their profitability.

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Revenue

€336.1bn

2019-2024 7.0 %
2024-2029 X.X %

Employees

1m

2019-2024 4.7 %
2024-2029 X.X %

Wages

€XX.Xbn

2019-2024 X.X %
2024-2029 X.X %

European Leaders & Laggards

Europe Job Growth CAGR: 4.7 % *
  • Job Growth

Top 5 Countries

  1. Russia +37.7%
  2. Romania +13.3%
  3. Hungary +12.7%
  4. Bulgaria +10.6%
  5. Norway +10.2%

Bottom 5 Countries

  1. United Kingdom -5.4%
  2. Iceland -4.1%
  3. Portugal -2.0%
  4. Greece -1.4%
  5. Austria -1.4%

* CAGR values are for the years 2019-2024.

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Biggest companies in the Third-Party Wholesaling in Europe

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue (€m)
2024
Profit (€m)
2024
Profit Margin (%)
2024
Metro AG
33,327.8
499.9
1.5
Rewe Group
84,797.9
1,611.2
1.9
Fnac Darty SA
8,143.6
254.1
3.1

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Third-Party Wholesaling in Europe

Products & Services Segmentation

Industry revenue broken down by key product and services lines.

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Top Questions Answered in this Report

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What is the market size of the Third-Party Wholesaling industry in Europe in 2024?

The market size of the Third-Party Wholesaling industry in Europe is €336.1bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Third-Party Wholesaling in Europe industry in 2024?

There are 871k businesses in the Third-Party Wholesaling industry in Europe, which has grown at a CAGR of 6.7 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Third-Party Wholesaling industry in Europe grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Third-Party Wholesaling industry in Europe has been declining at a CAGR of 7.0 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Third-Party Wholesaling industry in Europe over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Third-Party Wholesaling industry in Europe is expected to grow.

What does the Third-Party Wholesaling in Europe include?

Textiles, leather and clothing and Agricultural goods are part of the Third-Party Wholesaling industry.

Which countries have the most businesses in the Third-Party Wholesaling industry in Europe?

The European country with the most businesses in the Third-Party Wholesaling industry is Italy.

How competitive is the Third-Party Wholesaling industry in Europe?

The level of competition is moderate and steady in the Third-Party Wholesaling industry in Europe.

Related Industries

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Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Third-party wholesalers purchase products in bulk at discounted rates and then resell them to businesses, often at lower prices than dealing directly with the manufacturer or producer. Third-party wholesalers boost upstream producers' reach and simplify and cheapen distribution for retailers.

Related Terms

Wholesale BypassRADIO-FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION (RFID)AGENTS, BROKERS AND COMMISSION MERCHANTS

What's included in this industry?

Textiles, leather and clothingAgricultural goodsFood and beveragesFuels, industrial chemicals and metals

Companies

Metro AGRewe GroupFnac Darty SA

Industry Code

ISIC 2006

461 - Wholesale on a fee or contract basis in Europe

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Performance

Key Takeaways

Supply chain disruptions and stricter regulations increase costs

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Revenue Highlights

Trends
  • Revenue
  • 2024 Revenue Growth
  • Revenue Volatility

Employment Highlights

Trends
  • Employees
  • Employees per Business
  • Revenue per Employee

Business Highlights

Trends
  • Businesses
  • Employees per Business
  • Revenue per Business

Profit Highlights

Trends
  • Total Profit
  • Profit Margin
  • Profit per Business

Current Performance

Charts
  • Revenue in the Third-Party Wholesaling in Europe industry (2011 -2029)
  • Employees in the Third-Party Wholesaling in Europe industry (2011 -2029)
  • Business in the Third-Party Wholesaling in Europe industry (2011 -2029)
  • Profit in the Third-Party Wholesaling in Europe industry (2011 -2029)
Analysis

What's driving current industry performance in the Third-Party Wholesaling in Europe industry?


Outlook

Analysis

What's driving the Third-Party Wholesaling in Europe industry outlook?


Volatility

Analysis

What influences volatility in the Third-Party Wholesaling in Europe industry?

Charts
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth Matrix

Life Cycle

Analysis

What determines the industry life cycle stage in the Third-Party Wholesaling in Europe industry?

Charts
  • Industry Life Cycle Matrix

Products and Markets

Highlights

Trends
  • Largest Market
  • Product Innovation

Key Takeaways

Sustainable products are popular across all segments. Wholesalers focusing on food, construction supplies and textiles are all finding that downstream buyers are happy to pay a premium for products that meet their sustainability requirements.

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Products and Services

Charts
  • Products and Services Segmentation
Analysis

How are the Third-Party Wholesaling in Europe industry's products and services performing?

Analysis

What are innovations in the Third-Party Wholesaling in Europe industry's products and services?


Major Markets

Charts
  • Major Market Segmentation
Analysis

What influences demand in the Third-Party Wholesaling in Europe industry?


International Trade

Highlights

  • Largest Importer
  • Smallest Importer
  • Total Imports into Europe
  • Largest Exporter
  • Smallest Exporter
  • Total Exports into Europe
Heat maps
  • Industry Concentration of Imports by Country
  • Industry Concentration of Exports by Country
Data Tables

Value and annual change (%) included

  • Number of Imports and Exports by European Country (2024)

Geographic Breakdown

Business Locations

Heat maps
  • Share of Total Industry Revenue by Region (2024)
  • Share of Total Industry Enterprises by Region (2024)
  • Share of Total Industry Employment by Region (2024)
  • Share of Total Industry Wages by Region (2024)

Industry Geographic Breakdown

Data Tables

Values and annual change provided for 37 European countries:

  • Revenue (2024)
  • IVA (2024)
  • Enterprises (2024)
  • Employment (2024)
  • Exports (2024)
  • Imports (2024)

Competitive Forces

Highlights

Trends
  • Concentration
  • Competition
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer Power
  • Supplier Power

Key Takeaways

Consolidation is increasing in the industry. Larger players are snapping up smaller businesses to gain market share, pressuring smaller wholesalers to differentiate themselves and serve niche markets.

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Supply Chain

Charts

Buyer and supply industries

Companies

Market Share

Charts
  • Industry Market Share by Company (2019-2024)

Companies

Data Tables

Top 13 companies by market share:

  • Market share (2024)
  • Revenue (2024)
  • Profit (2024)
  • Profit Margin (2024)

Data Tables
  • Countries of operation for Metro AG
  • Countries of operation for Rewe Group
  • Countries of operation for Fnac Darty SA
  • Countries of operation for OMV AG
  • Countries of operation for TotalEnergies SE
  • Countries of operation for Alvean Sugar SL
  • Countries of operation for Jeronimo Martins SGPS SA
  • Countries of operation for Sinochem International Oil (London) Co Ltd
  • Countries of operation for Electricite de France SA
  • Countries of operation for Electricite de France SA
  • Countries of operation for Electricite de France SA
  • Countries of operation for Electricite de France SA
  • Countries of operation for Vilma Oil SL

External Environment

Highlights

Trends
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key Takeaways

Regulations typically are enforced at the manufacturing level. Regulations on product safety are enforced on manufacturers and producers; however, wholesalers must abide by e-commerce regulations, like data collection laws.

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External Drivers

Analysis

What demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the Third-Party Wholesaling in Europe industry?

Financial Benchmarks

Highlights

Trends
  • Profit Margin
  • Average Wage
  • Largest Cost

Key Takeaways

Intense competition limits profit growth. A highly competitive marketplace and pressure from large retail clients constrain the ability of third-party wholesalers to raise prices and profit.

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Cost Structure

Charts
  • Share of Economy vs. Investment Matrix
  • Industry Cost Structure Benchmarks:
    • Marketing
    • Depreciation
    • Profit
    • Purchases
    • Wages
    • Rent
    • Utilities
    • Other
Analysis

What trends impact cost in the Third-Party Wholesaling in Europe industry?


Key Ratios

Data tables
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)

Country Benchmarks

European Leaders & Laggards

Data Tables

Top and boottom five countries listed for each:

  • Revenue Growth (2024)
  • Business Growth (2024)
  • Job Growth (2024)

European Country Performance

Data Tables

Rankings available for 37 countries. Statistics ranked include:

  • IVA/Revenue (2024)
  • Imports/Demand (2024)
  • Exports/Revenue (2024)
  • Revenue per Employee (2024)
  • Wages/Revenue (2024)
  • Employees per Establishment (2024)
  • Average Wage (2024)

Structural Comparison

Data Tables

Trends in 37 countries benchmarked against trends in Europe

  • Concentration
  • Competition
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Buyer Power
  • Supplier Power
  • Volatility
  • Capital Intensity
  • Innovation
  • Life Cycle

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Methodology

Where does IBISWorld source its data?

IBISWorld is a world-leading provider of business information, with reports on 5,000+ industries in Australia, New Zealand, North America, Europe and China. Our expert industry analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build an accurate picture of each industry.

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and IBISWorld's proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights. 

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools.

To learn more about specific data sources used by IBISWorld's analysts globally, including how industry data forecasts are produced, visit our Help Center.