Spatiotemporal Distribution Characteristics and Spatial Formation Mechanisms of China's Fresh Produce New Retail

As a product of the mobile internet era, the new retail model represents a transformation of traditional and online retail. This emerging force will have a significant impact on the spatial planning and layout of urban commercial facilities and refined new infrastructure in the post-COVID-19 era. Using spatial statistical data and revenue data from 2018 to 2022 on fresh produce new retail outlets in China, along with the ArcGIS analysis platform, this paper studies the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of fresh produce new retail and its revenues before and during the COVID-19 outbreak in China, aiming to uncover the inherent spatial mechanism logic. The results show: (1) The spatial distribution of China's fresh produce new retail model decreases from east to west and increases from south to north, with a concentration in three major urban agglomerations, particularly the Yangtze River Delta region; (2) Cities with a higher number of fresh produce new retail outlets have developed a mature online consumer market, with convenient transportation conditions and a well-established logistics system; (3) Between 2018 and 2022, the number of fresh produce new retail outlets expanded, and new retail brands increased at the provincial level. Provinces with more outlets have introduced more fresh produce new retail brands; (4) The outbreak of COVID-19 significantly affected the development and profit models of fresh produce new retail. In 2018-2019, the online and offline revenues of fresh produce new retail were nearly equal, but from 2020 to 2022, online business volumes led to a massive surge in revenue, leaving offline sales far behind. Since 2020, offline revenue has almost remained unchanged. The article argues that the spatiotemporal evolution of fresh produce new retail not only reflects the diversification of consumer types and the transformation of demand but also serves as a barometer for the spatial layout of new retail infrastructure. This model represents the establishment of sustainable new consumer relationships, responding to the development of mobile internet and the construction of healthy digital cities. The mobile internet market, big data, smart logistics, flexible fresh supply chain mechanisms, flat distribution models, and intelligent operations all guide spatial planning for urban 5G infrastructure, logistics centers + forward warehouses, long-distance transportation, small street network "capillary" traffic micro-circulation, and the future construction of smart communities. Urban spaces must continuously and sustainably adapt to changes in consumer demand to maintain their competitiveness among global cities.