At the end of last year, 830 stores, hypermarkets, supermarkets, cash & carry stores or discount stores were spread across the country, almost 150 more than in 2010.
Although consumption continued to decline by around 4% year-on-year in the first 11 months, the 15 modern retailers pursued expansion more than in any of their 15 previous years of presence on the local market. The most active were discount chains and supermarket retailers.
“On the supermarket segment, the opening of new stores is part of a strategy to secure locations in various cities across the country. In the case of discount chains, this is about pursuing plans started in the past few years,” believes Szabolcs Nemes, principal within Roland Berger Strategy Consultants Romania.
The main target of modern chains was Bucharest, which currently accommodates over 170 stores, i.e. one fifth of the overall number of stores in Romania. The most obvious example is the number of supermarkets nationwide and in Bucharest. Out of a total of around 330, over 130 are located in Bucharest.
(English version by Daniela Stoican)