Spar Expands Position In Fast Growing Market

Mass Grocery Retailers (MGR) Spar Croatia and Ipercoop (Coop Italia) have reached a merger agreement that will see Spar manage four of Ipercoop's stores in Croatia. The deal has been rubber stamped by the Market Competition Protection Agency and is likely to suit both parties. Ipercoop is keen to ensure its presence in the Croatian market and Spar will be pulling out the stops to close the gap on the market leaders, local company Konzum and Germany's Rewe. BMI analysts are forecasting that Croatia's MGR sector will grow by 37.5% in value between 2009 and 2013, and we expect growth to be sustained on the back of disposable incomes rising for the foreseeable future, which will stimulate demand for modern retailing.

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