SPAR Austria has reported retail sales of more than €9 billion in its financial year 2022, reflecting year-on-year sales growth of 4.7%.
The retailer also consolidated its leadership position in Austria, with a market share of 36.3%, it added.
In this period, the retailer opened around 40 new stores and renovated more than 70 outlets.
SPAR operates around 1,506 stores in Austria, comprising 1,067 SPAR Supermarkets, 50 SPAR Gourmet stores, 79 SPAR Express forecourt stores, 232 EUROSPAR Supermarkets, 71 INTERSPAR Hypermarkets, and seven Maximarkt stores.
SPAR Austria Group
The SPAR Austria Group, which operates in Austria and seven neighbouring countries across the three business areas of food retail, sports retail, and shopping centres, reported combined sales growth of 7.3%, to €18.63 billion, in full-year 2022.
The group operates 3,026 SPAR (DESPAR in Italy), EUROSPAR, and INTERSPAR stores in Austria, Northern Italy, Hungary, Slovenia, and Croatia.
Gross sales turnover in these countries amounted to €15.92 billion, up 5.5% year-on-year.
Currently, SPAR Austria Group group employs over 91,300 people and operates 3,026 stores.
The group created nearly 1,400 new jobs in 2022 as it continued to expand its operations in the regions in which it operates.
Other Highlights
Sales of SPAR's own-brand products contributed to more than 40% of the company’s food retail sales in 2022.
SPAR Austria invested nearly €3 million in own-brand product development and corresponding facilities during the period, including expanding its SPAR Veggie range to over 100 products, which resulted in sales growth of 8.5%.
Elsewhere, it collaborated with nine domestic electricity suppliers to expand its e-charging network.
Around 160 photovoltaic systems are currently installed on the rooftops of SPAR, EUROSPAR, and INTERSPAR stores, the retailer noted.
During the year, the retailer also implemented measures to prevent food waste by developing an AI-based solution for more targeted order suggestions and demand forecasts across all stores.
© 2023 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest Retail news. Article by Dayeeta Das Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
