Discounter Kaufland has increased its presence in Poland, with the takeover of three former Tesco outlets, in Warsaw, Gdansk and Kraków.
The three stores opened under the Kaufland banner on 13 February, following a two-week overhaul.
Kaufland added that the three branches will be 'comprehensively modernised' during the summer, in line with the Schwarz Group-own brand's positioning.
'Logical Step'
“For Kaufland in Poland, this takeover is a logical step," commented Thorsten Sauter, Kaufland board member. "This will strengthen our position in the Polish food retail sector and actively help shape the consolidation of the European retail sector."
Kaufland also intends to take over a further four Tesco branches in Poland in the near future, it added.
'Improving The Quality'
In January, Tesco chief executive Dave Lewis told ESM that the retailer was committed to "improving the quality" of its operations in Poland, as it sought to drive profitability in the business.
"We knew that we were at a disadvantage because we were in hypermarkets, and the growth was in smaller formats," Lewis said of the ongoing restructuring of the Polish business. "So we sold some hypermarkets, we downsized the estate, and we reduced the range."
© 2020 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
