Items sold directly from pallets or cardboard, the stores have virtually no decor, minimal staff – Only stores are called “hard discounters” that save on everything. However, according to the company, this will turn into prices of at least 20 percent. is below competition.
Such an offer was a recipe for success in his native Russia. The company from the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk (operating in Russia under the name “Svetofor”) has been developing in the Russian market since 2009. Today its number reaches 1.4 thousand. stores – in Kazakhstan or Belarus.
Then came Europe. When the store opened in Leipzig, Germany in 2019, the media even wrote about the “attack” on the goods.. After two days, all the assortment was taken, the discount had to be temporarily closed. In 2020, the first store opened in Poland. The discount store in Częstochowa was supposed to be the first of hundreds, but nothing was bought.
There has always been an aura of mystery around the company. Very little is known about the Schneider family, who built the Svetofor and Mere networks. According to world media, they began operating in the beer industry in the mid-90s. Despite their accumulated wealth, they avoid interviews or a luxurious life, so the family is sometimes compared to the Albrecht brothers, the founders of the German Aldi chain.
Mere stores look like this
Free expansion and boycott appeals
Before the Russian occupation of Ukraine, there were nine Mere stores in Poland. It opened in Jaworzno last January. Another one in Silesia is almost ready. However, according to the trade service, the store has not been able to obtain permission from the Health Department for several months.
The chain also has problems with the National Labor Inspectorate. According to the website, many violations were found in the supermarket in Skarisko-Kamienna. Workers were not provided with work clothes and could not use the kitchen because it was full of cardboard boxes. Electricity distribution facilities were not to be completely protected. The most serious were holes in the warehouses that would collapse from a height of 3 meters. There were penalties for negligence, but the store is still open.
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Now the network must deal with additional boycott calls. There are many of them, especially in the cities where shops operate. What does the company say? We could not contact the Krakow headquarters. However, we spoke with the management of the store in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski. – We do not face any boycott. What about politics? What do we have to do with this? they said. Employees assured us that they saw no less customers and that “20 percent cheaper prices” attracted more people.
Which product is more popular? – Maybe it will be a surprise, but this is Ukrainian vodka – We heard.
The manager of another store in Jaworzno decided to openly respond to calls for a boycott. Jaworzno Mere is a Russian chain of stores, but we humans have no influence on it. We only work for this company, it is the company that wants the best for you, “he wrote on Facebook. The post soon disappeared.
The information we received shows that the network has more and more serious problems. It is difficult to find a supplier and he is not going to look for new places. Theoretically, the search for new stores is still ongoing. The company encourages those who wish to cooperate to contact us by phone or e-mail. However, it does not provide a number or email address on its website.
What is the financial condition of the company? The most recently published financial report is for 2020. This year the company Torgservice PL (controlling Poland) The branch alone) ended with a loss of 1.32 million PLN. Sales revenue amounted to 3.27 million PLN.
Opening of Mere store in Javorzno
There are problems all over Europe
Until recently, the network was convinced that it wanted to conquer the western part of the Old Continent. But before the war in Ukraine, it seemed that the company was falling apart more. The first store in the UK has closed and no new store is planned. All eight businesses in Spain have been closed. Two stores were to be opened in France, but they were not allowed. A store opened in Belgium, but there were problems with delivery. The media reported that there was almost no product in it.
The German market was to be key to the company. There are currently at least seven Mere stores there. And there, however, the information seems that the network may leave the country. The company itself referred to this information on Facebook. “In order to avoid misunderstandings, we would like to inform you that there are no plans to close all Mere branches in Germany. If there are any changes, we will inform you immediately.” – You could read.
– It is clear that our Mere has few customers, – tells us a resident of Jaworzno. However, he added that there are still customers who apply for a “hard discount”. According to him, more and more retirees visit the store. Therefore, it is difficult to say today whether the bottom-up boycott will force the company to withdraw from Poland and other markets.
However, it cannot be ruled out that sanctions will contribute to this. All over Europe, they are being tightened, and they will undoubtedly hinder the operation of the Siberian network – if they do not hinder its operation. This happened in Ukraine, where the net was thrown before the war.
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