The construction team behind the first 7-Eleven in Laos went viral on social media last week after showing pictures of the location of their construction site.
7-Eleven is a multinational retail chain of retail stores headquartered in Texas, USA. The chain has presence all over the world but is most notably known for its operations in Japan.
With around 13,000 stores spread throughout Thailand, the company is now expanding into Laos, hoping to capitalize on the presence of relatively small number of multi-national corporations in the local market and increase its presence in Southeast Asia.
Social media users in the country have had both positive and negative responses to the news of the first ever 7-Eleven in Laos. Some netizens expressed excitement, reminiscing about their enjoyable experiences at 7-Eleven stores in Thailand or elsewhere.
Others, however, have expressed concerns that the arrival of such global brands may cause Laos to lose its authenticity and identity.
Regardless of different opinions, the construction of the first 7-Eleven in Laos is a significant milestone for the company’s expansion into the retail industry in the country. The first store is being currently built near Wattay International Airport and is set to open in September.
