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Date Published: 28/01/2022
ARCHIVED - Discount Russian supermarket shows no sign of opening in Murcia
The so-called Russian Lidl was due to open its doors in San Javier in October
Three months after its scheduled opening date, the Mere supermarket chain, commonly known as the Russian Lidl, has yet to launch its San Javier store. The discount retailer announced that it would establish its flagship Murcia shop in Santiago de la Ribera back in October, but municipal sources have revealed that Mere has thus far failed to move forward with licensing.
Mere has been successfully operating in Russia since 2009 and last year, the chain revealed its plans to expand further into Europe. However, only four of the 10 stores that they planned to start up in Spain actually opened: in the Madrid municipality of Parla as well as Aldaia, Gandia and La Pobla de Vallbona in the Valencian Community. Development also appears to have ground to a halt in France and Belgium.
An article recently published by infoRetail magazine hints at financial problems and suggests that Mere plans to halt its entry into the Spanish market, something which the company has denied. However, according to figures provided by infoRetail, the stores are posting monthly losses close to 15,000 euros, a clearly unsustainable situation.
The commercial director and administrator of Marketlight, the company that operates the brand in Spain, said that the motto of the Russian Lidl “is to offer the best price every day” by saving on operating costs such as decoration and staffing.
Image: Mere
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