SPAR enters supermarket sector

The Dutch group SPAR has announced it would open seven stores in Romania, in the central and western part of the country this year. SPAR is the newest company to enter a market of 22 million prospective consumers. “The first Spar hypermarket in Romania will open this year in Targu-Mures. It will be followed, in 2006, by six supermarkets in the central and western regions of the country,” stated George Ceorneschi, marketing manager of SPAR for Romania. Company representatives did not offer information on the value of the investments to be made. According to information from the Romanian branch of the Dutch group, SPAR is to open seven stores in Targu-Mures, Resita, Ramnicu Valcea, Deva, Arad, Medias and Odorhei, in the August – November period of 2006. “For 2007, the expansion plan entails opening over 20 locations. We already have seven completed projects, of which five hypermarkets and supermarkets in Bucharest,” George Ceorneschi added. The Dutch group will bring several of its divisions to the local market, although the retailer’s first plans are to open supermarkets and hypermarkets. SPAR was set up in 1932 in the Netherlands. Currently the Dutch retailer has over 15,000 stores in 34 countries.