Profi therefore beat Mega Image in terms of openings after the latter was expansion ‘champion’ for almost three years, opening tens or more than 100 stores in one year. Mega Image opened 23 stores in the first half, compared with 40 in the year-ago period.
“Our strategy is to continue expansion of the network, which started strong last year (103 new stores i.e.),” Mega Image officials said, adding the decision to expand depends on external factors beyond their control such as availability of space, property prices or economic trends.
In all, modern retailers opened 84 stores in the first half, keeping up the pace compared with the year-ago period. Although they opened especially small stores, such as supermarkets and convenience or discount stores, the international chains spent EUR80 million to EUR100 million, according to ZF’s calculations, taking modern retail to more than 1,300 stores.
Kaufland, the local market leader, was the only large format store chain that opened new stores in the first half. It invested EUR20 million to EUR30 million – including the price of land, in three new hypermarkets, one less than in the same time last year.
Its rivals Auchan and Carrefour announced plans to open new hypermarkets in the second half, though.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)