Discount supermarkets cease to expand

After years of fast growth, the expansion of discount supermarkets in Poland is slowing down. The forecast for 2015 predicts that only 238 new outlets will be opened, compared to 338 in the previous year. Additionally, turnover will grow by 6 percent, versus 12 percent in 2014, according to a report by Euromonitor International. “Expansion is our long-term priority, but the number of annual openings will be reduced,” Pedro Pereira da Silva, Jeronimo Martins Polska country manager, was quoted as saying by Polish daily Rzeczpospolita. Although there are only a bit over 3,600 discount supermarkets out of 137,700 retail stores in Poland, they remain the sector leader with turnover at PLN 52 billion.