2013 in review: Retail

Despite the fact that consumption showed no solid signs of recovery in 2013, several local retailers have maintained a steady expansion pace. Mega Image, Kaufland and Profi were among the most active. With the exception of Kaufland, small-surfaced stores was the option of choice when opening new outlets. The increasing consumption of private label products and the launch of the first online grocery store operated by a large retailer were among this year’s highlights.

2013 highlights

After taking over the 20 local Real hypermarkets as part of a regional deal with Metro Group in 2012, Auchan started rebrading the first stores. Following last year’s takeover, Auchan Romania has reached a network of 31 stores in Romania with a total sales area of 252,000 sqm and, 3 logistical platforms, over 10,100 employees and 70 million customers.

Read more about

Gilles Ballot, named the new CEO of Carrefour Romania

read more

The first online grocery store operated by a large retailer was opened this year. In July Carrefour officially launched its online store – carrefour-online.ro. Cora launched in November the first local drive-through service which for now is available in its Lujerului hypermarket in Bucharest.

Discounter Kaufland opened 7 new hypermarkets in 2013, reaching a network of 89 hypermarkets at the end of the year.

Carrefour Romania operated in December a network of 25 hypermarkets, 78 supermarkets, 56 Carrefour Express proximity stores and the online store.

Mega Image has maintained an aggressive expansion pace throughout the year by opening 104 new stores: 37 Mega Image supermarkets and 66 Shop&Go proximity stores. In September Romania became the first country where the Belgian Delhaize group launched a new retail brand, AB Cool Food, which sells exclusively frozen foods. At the end of the year Mega Image operated a network of 296 stores in Romania.

Cora opened two new hypermarkets this year and operated a network of 12 hypermarkets at the end of the year. In July the company opened the EUR 51 million Cora Bratianu shopping center in Constanta. The 50,000 sqm retail project is anchored by a 8,600 sqm Cora hypermarket. In September it opened another hypermarket in Ploiesti.

Profi opened 63 new stores in 2013 and launched new retail formats. At the end of the year the retailer operated 207 stores.

Top management changes: Metro Cash&Carry appointed a new country manager, Gilles Roudy, replacing Dusan Wilms. Also, Jean Baptiste Dernoncourt is the new CEO of Carrefour Romania. He is replacing Melchior de Polignac. Earlier in 2013, Rewe Romania appointed Christian Beck CEO of the retail discount chains Penny Market and XXL Mega Discount.

Some 54 percent of Romanians bought private label products this year and cooking oil was the best sold product in this category.

European Commission (EC) adopted in November a proposal that requires member states to reduce their use of lightweight plastic carrier bags.

New shopping malls this year:

The EUR 27 million Uvertura Mall Botosani developed by Romanian businessman Danut Prisecariu was opened in March.

In September Cora opened the EUR 51 million Cora Bratianu shopping center in Constanta. The 50,000 sqm retail project is anchored by a 8,600 sqm Cora hypermarket.

The EUR 50 million AFI Palace Poiesti mall developed by AFI Europe Romania was opened in October.

Also in October, the 35,000-sqm Promenada shopping mall in northern Bucharest officially opened. Real estate developer Raiffeisen Evolution invested more than EUR 130 million in the project.

Real estate investment fund New Europe Property Investments (NEPI) opened in November a 33,000sqm shopping mall in Galati, eastern Romania.

Simona Bazavan