The evolution of the drivetrain worldwide and in Europe
A veritable revolution in the way consumers shop, the drive concept has rapidly conquered Europe. From the first French drive-through to its breathtaking growth during a period of health crisis, the development of this concept has been marked by constant evolution, supported by technological advances and changing consumer habits.
Let's take a look back at this innovative concept, from its first steps in Europe to the challenges of tomorrow's drive.
The drive concept and its origins
The drive-thru appeared for the first time in the United States in the 1940s, following the emergence of the first fast-food services. To adapt to the needs of consumers in a hurry, some companies offered a service that was unique for the time: the possibility of placing an order from the comfort of your car, and receiving your meal without leaving your vehicle. This marked the launch of the "drive-in", a model that would influence the design of today's drive-in services.
The drive concept as we know it today only really took off in the 1990s, with the advent of the Internet and e-commerce. Its aim: to enable consumers to make purchases online and collect their orders from a dedicated area, without having to store in-store.
This concept has given rise to 3 different types of drive:
The "drive out" and its point of withdrawal which is not located near the store.
The "drive in", which refers to a point of withdrawal next to the store, which has its own stock.
The "store point of withdrawal", which allows you to withdraw your purchases from the store, with products from the store.
The advantage for the consumer lies mainly in the flexibility of withdrawals, while this option also offers significant savings compared with the costs associated with home delivery services.
The development of drive systems in Europe
Despite its obvious advantages, it wasn't until the early 2000s that the concept gained a foothold in Europe. It made its first appearance in France on June 21, 2000, under the impetus of the Auchan group. The idea was to order heavy and cumbersome products from a dedicated terminal, for loading directly into the customer's car; a service offered to consumers in the north of France for the sum of 10 francs, which quickly became known as Auchan Express.
Then came Chronodrive, which took advantage of the development of the Internet to offer the first drive-through combined with online ordering, in 2004. A few years later, E. Leclerc took the drive concept by storm, creating the company's first drive in Roques-sur-Garonne in 2007. This was followed by the opening of numerous E. Leclerc drives, with the company growing from 65 drives at the end of 2010 to 271 points of sale in 2012, with sales approaching one billion euros.
A veritable drive-thru race is emerging, propelled in particular by the increase in smartphone use, which facilitates the consumer experience. In 2012, the drive market share was 2%, compared with 6% at the end of 2019. (1)
Beyond France's borders, other European countries have quickly followed suit, adapting the drive concept to their own markets. The UK, Germany, Spain and Italy have all seen significant growth in the number of collection points and drive-in services over the past two decades. Globally, drive has continued to evolve beyond supermarkets and fast-food outlets. Many sectors, including the fashion, electronics and even pharmaceutical industries, have adopted this model, which continues today.
The drive today: current trends and challenges
In recent years, the drive-thru market has grown considerably in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which shook up the habits of French consumers. This growing demand for drive-throughs concerned both supermarkets and non-essential businesses, heavily impacted by the confinement periods. In order to be able to offer their services while complying with health standards, many chains have turned to the drive-through method, which Michel-Édouard Leclerc predicts will increase drive-through use by 50% by 2020.
In total, the drive represents 8.3% of the food trade in 2020, equivalent to over 9 billion euros. (1) In fact, that same year, 46% of French consumers chose the drive for their supermarket purchases, a rate up 22 points on 2018. (2)
In 2021, the growth of the drive-through will continue in France, with the opening of 497 new food drives. Many non-food retailers are taking advantage of this trend to develop their own drives, from King Jouet stores and Leroy Merlin to small food shops trying to attract the new click-and-collect enthusiasts.
Although drive growth has stabilized over the past two years, the channel's penetration rate remains well above 2019 levels. Many consumers are still accustomed to online shopping and in-store or drive-through withdrawals, attracted by the flexibility of these new shopping methods, which is prompting French and European chains to step up the development and improvement of drive-through services, with a focus on automated withdrawals and the development of pedestrian withdrawals, one of the main challenges for drive-through in the years ahead.
1. Yves Puget. All the figures on the French drive-thru market. LSA Focus. 2021;4. Accessed November 14, 2023. https://www.lsa-conso.fr/tous-les-chiffres-du-drive-en-france-lsa-focus-avril-2021,378738
2. The omnichannel retail consumer - portrait and practices in 2020. Harris Interactive x Budgetbox survey. November 4, 2020. Accessed November 14, 2023. https://harris-interactive.fr/opinion_polls/le-consommateur-omnicanal-en-grande-distribution-portrait-et-pratiques-en-2020/