Real: Bucharest still has room for twice as many hypermarkets

Tjeerd Jegen, managing director of Real Hypermarket Romania, a division of Metro Group, believes Bucharest’s retail market still has room for at least 22-23 hypermarkets, i.e. double the current number. “Compared with all European capitals, hypermarkets account for the biggest share of the market in Bucharest. Over 60% of Bucharest’s inhabitants regularly shop in hypermarkets, a very high percentage. Finding everything under one roof appeals to Romanians,” says Tjeerd Jegen, citing a market research study conducted by GfK and Incoma Research. The manager believes hypermarket operators will find new areas in Bucharest over the next 5 years, amid the development that is taking place around the outskirts of the city.