Convenience store operator Lawson accelerates presence in China's second-third tire cities

A convenience store owner picks up goods transported via an unmanned delivery vehicle. (Xinhua/Tao Ming)

Japan-headquartered convenience store franchise chain company Lawson recently opened a new store that provides both walk-in shopping and self-service in the second-tier city of Wuxi, east China's Jiangsu Province, the Xinhua-run cnstock.com reported on Thursday.

The store marks Lawson's 2,500th retail store in Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai region. At present, Lawson has opened a total of 700 stores in Jiangsu Province, of which 129 stores are located in Wuxi City.

In recent years, the foreign convenience store chains like Lawson have accelerated their presence significantly in China's second and third-tier cities. Public data show that since August last year, Lawson has made its first presence in Tangshan, north China's Hebei Province, and Wuhu city in east China's Anhui Province.

Lawson entered China in 1996 with its first store opened in Shanghai. It currently operates over 5,000 stores in China.