AS Watson hits Rotterdam, Holland for opening of health and beauty retailer's 16,800th store worldwide

AS Watson has announced the opening of its 16,800th store worldwide, with the health and beauty retailer laying claim to a portfolio of 12 brands operating across 29 markets.

The Kruidvat store was opened in Rotterdam as AS Watson doubles down on itsl O+O (Offline plus Online) customer experience.

Dr. Malina Ngai, Group CEO at AS Watson, says: “The opening of our 16,800th store represents more than our growth as a company - it symbolises our commitment to serving the communities worldwide. With every store we open, we create jobs, foster customer relationships, and build lasting trust.”

“16,800 is a number with special meaning in Chinese culture. The number six symbolises ‘everything goes smoothly’ while eight represents ‘good fortune’. We embrace the special meaning of this milestone and look forward to a future of lasting success and prosperity, not only for our business growth but also in extending these best wishes for a brighter future for the world during this festive Christmas season.”

"We’re honoured that AS Watson’s 16,800th store worldwide opens in vibrant Rotterdam, demonstrating our steadfast commitment to growth in the Benelux region and globally. As the number one health and beauty retailer in the Netherlands, Kruidvat serves its customers with nearly 1,000 O+O stores and over 24,000 passionate colleagues, and has become an integral part of many Dutch people’s lives.”

The location will serve over 11,000 customers every week. As one of the largest Kruidvat stores, it spans over 770 square metres and offers an assortment of over 36,000 products, making it the largest selection among all Kruidvat stores.

The newly upgraded Kruidvat app delivers personalised offers and health advice to customers, enabling them to manage their shopping lists and track their points balance, ensuring they always get the best deals. Additionally, the app's streamlined checkout process features Click and Collect options.

2024 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Physical stores were a key focus area for the sixth edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards, sponsored by Vista Technology Support, Scala, CADS, 3D Cloud, Brightpearl by Sage’s Lightning 50, Business France, and Retail Technology Show 2025, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended last month’s gathering.