4:28 26 May 2026
Grocery retailers form European buying alliance
Three of Poland's independent grocery operators — Eurocash (which distributes under franchise banners including Lewiatan and Delikatesy Centrum), Netto Polska, and the regional chain POLOmarket — are finalising entry into European Marketing Distribution (EMD), a pan-European retail purchasing group. The trio have established a joint-venture vehicle called Unitas, received unconditional clearance from Poland's competition regulator UOKiK, and signed a co-operation agreement on 21 May.
Through EMD membership, they aim to boost their collective purchasing power with multinational FMCG suppliers, improve supply-chain efficiency, and develop shared private-label products. The move signals a strategic shift for Polish independent retailers, who face mounting pressure from hard-discount chains such as Biedronka, Lidl, and Aldi. Eurocash in particular has been undergoing a major restructuring, including plans to close 150 stores and cut 3,000 jobs as part of a 2026–2027 strategy targeting PLN 600m in normalised EBIT by 2027.
