Because Sklavenitis and AB Vassilopoulos invest in many square meters

By George Lampiris

A strong investment stake has recently been at the forefront of the strategy of the two largest supermarket chains in Greece. The reason for the Greek Supermarkets Sklavenitis and AB Vassilopoulos, companies that are currently investing in the strengthening of their store network with large stores of more than 2,500, ie with the addition of supermarkets, which come to respond to the current consumer situation that brings the pandemic and the demand of consumers for large spaces.

The new big store for Sklavenitis on the National Road

Both companies are making moves to strengthen their network of points of sale, with large stores of more than 2,500 sq.m. Sklavenitis, which already has 32 stores of this typology, derived from the acquisition agreement of Marinopoulos, is currently strengthening its potential with the creation of the supermarket that it is going to build in 2022 at the New Philadelphia junction, at the old premises of the Mava dealership. – Renault, by Alexandros Maniatopoulos on the National Road Athens – Lamia. Recently, the architectural study for the specific store received the approval of the Central Architectural Council and the specific space that is to be constructed, will be the 33rd supermarket that is part of the network of the Greek Sklavenitis Supermarkets.

AB Vassilopoulos prepares two new supermarkets in Piraeus and Kifissia in 2022

Regarding AB Vassilopoulos, in which the lack of large stores over 2,500 sq.m. seems to have cost quite a bit in terms of sales during the pandemic, it is currently setting up two such stores. The first of these will be located at the junction of Piraeus and Kifissou streets, where the company for development and exploitation of real estate, Ten Brinke, is currently developing a retail park. This is the commercial park recently acquired by the Fourlis group through the subsidiary Trade Estates AEEAP. In this, AB Vassilopoulos is one of the companies that have leased space for the construction of a Mega AB store. At the same time, the multinational interest chain is currently building another large store on Kifissias Avenue in the area of ​​the Mimikopoulos Foundation, just before the roundabout of Attiki Odos in Maroussi. And this store will be a Mega AB, while both this and the aforementioned Piraeus will be ready according to schedule within 2022. Sources with market knowledge recently told Capital.gr that the lack of large stores was seen during AB Vassilopoulos, as all consumers were looking for bigger stores to do their shopping more comfortably and safely against the pandemic. However, the company does not have the number maintained by Sklavenitis, as a result of which it is currently strengthening it in this way.

The ever-increasing performance of big stores

Characteristic of the course followed by the large supermarket stores, is that within 2021 the rooms with an area of ​​more than 2,500 sq.m. (supermarkets) showed the largest increase – of + 8.1% – in their sales, according to data from Nielsen IQ. In a growth rate, although much more restrained, followed the smaller rooms, up to 400 sq.m., moving with + 1.5%, which means that buyers choose the smaller stores for their convenience, but also their daily shopping.

At 550 million euros the turnover of Bazaar products

It is noted, among other things, that supermarkets offer the possibility of selling bazaar products – clothes, shoes, electrical, electronics, garden items – due to the larger spaces available in these stores. It should be noted that the bazaar products in 2021 corresponded to 6% of the total sales of organized retail, ie in the amount of 550 million euros. Overall this category according to NielsenIQ data recorded a 14.9% increase in sales over the past year.