Finnish retailer S Group has posted a 4.8% increase in grocery sales for full-year 2018, to €7.25 billion.
The group described its performance as a ‘good achievement’, amidst ‘tightening competition’, saying that there was growth across all its divisions, with its Prisma chain posting the strongest performance.
It said that its market share posted a ‘slight increase’ in sales over the year.
Among the highlights for the group was the acquisition of the Stockmann deli business and the renovation of a store in Herkku, Helsinki, to a new retail concept.
'Excellent Reception'
“The renovation received an excellent reception from customers, as well as receiving international attention” commented Taavi Heikkilä, CEO of S Group. “This experience can be utilised by S Group's supermarkets to develop their network in an ever better direction.”
Total supermarket sales at S Group, including its home and specialty goods businesses, totalled €8.096 billion for the full year, up 2.9%. Sales in its service station and fuel trade business was €1.73 billion, up 5.9% in the previous year.
Its travel and hospitality business posted sales of €816 million, an increase of 0.6%. However its department store and specialty goods business posted sales of €294 million, a decline of 5.2%. Other business areas generated sales of €587 million, the group said.
Overall, S Group’s sales totalled €11.523 billion last year, up 2.2% on the previous year.
© 2019 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.
