Retail market in 2011

Retail will this year be marked by the arrival on the market of three of the biggest European players: Lidl, H&M and Leroy Merlin. On the other hand, Romanian players in this field will in their turn be the actors of some major events: Flanco electronics and electrical home appliances retailer plans to exit insolvency in March, and Romanian businesspeople will expand their retail businesses. There still are doubts about the arrival of Tesco and consumption rebound.

1. Germany’s Lidl network, one of the world’s most aggressive players on the discounter segment, has secured an important foothold on the Romanian market after taking over Plus network.
2. French Leroy Merlin network, the second biggest player on the European market, announced its arrival on the Romanian market.
3. Swedish H&M giant will enter the Romanian market in full gear, opening the first six stores in March-April.
4. Contacted by ZF, Tesco officials stated the retailer had no plans to enter Romania at this moment.
5. Modern retail will expand further in 2011, after growing during the crisis, when traditional retail stores closed.
6. After Carrefour, the biggest player on the hypermarket segment and real, -Hypermarket, the retail unit of Metro, have strengthened their position on the Romanian market, in 2011 it is the turn of second tier players-Cora and Auchan.
7. E-commerce in 2010 rose by 38% year-on-year to 127.8m euros. For 2011, GECAD ePayment estimates point to the same upward trend.
8. What chances has consumption to pick up? This year, right from the beginning, stores’ windows are full of discount and promotional offer messages.
9. Romanian entrepreneurs continue battle with foreign retail players
10. In late August 2010 Flanco’s reorganisation plan was approved, with the company set to exit insolvency in six months