Denmark's Salling Group has said that it does not plan to continue to operate its Basalt discount banner, bringing to an end a trial that commenced in autumn of last year.
Basalt, a no-frills concept that offered products priced 15% to 20% lower than the discounters, according to the retailer, was developed during a period of high inflation and energy costs, with ten stores opened in six weeks.
The stores operated with no refrigerated or frozen displays, and boasted shorter opening hours to reduce energy consumption.
In a statement, Salling Group said that energy costs have 'returned to a more normal level', which, coupled with the prospect of lower inflation, has resulted in the group calling a halt to the Basalt trial.
'Record Time'
"I am proud of how we launched a concept in record time that offered customers a much cheaper shopping basket than anywhere else in the market," commented Anders Hagh, Salling Group CEO.
"It is in our DNA to focus on solving the customers' most important challenges with the help of new, innovative measures, and we will also test new solutions going forward, all of which will be targeted at improving customers' everyday lives."
Read More: Netto's Braw Bakir Tells ESM About Denmark's Newest Discounter
New Netto Outlets
As Basalt was located in Netto outlets that were earmarked for redevelopment or closure, the group plans to develop four of the outlets into new Netto stores over the coming weeks, in Kastrup, Odense, Glostrup and Næstved.
A number of Basalt sites will also close for good, in Viby, Helsingør, Fredericia and Hjørring.
"We take an enormous amount of learning with us from Basalt, which we can use across the entire Salling Group, both in terms of efficient operation and energy consumption," commented Netto director Henrik Nielsen.
Read More: Denmark's Salling Group Opens First 'Basalt' Discount Store
© 2023 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
