Stable list of chains: Tesco, followed by two Hungarian chains

Nielsen's report highlights the trend that retail chains reacted in a flexible way to the speedy change of consuming and buying habits, and applied multi channel sales strategies.

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The rostrum was unchanged from the preceding year. Tesco had the biggest turnover: the company achieved HUF 666.5 billion in the 2010-2011 business year, after HUF 638.4 billion in 2009. The HUF 550 billion turnover of CBA shows growth, while the HUF 510 billion turnover of Coop reflects stagnation.

Nielsen created the list based partly on data provided by the retail companies and partly based on estimates. Spar is in fourth place with a turnover of HUF 381.3 billion, and is followed by Reál with a HUF 360 billion and Auchan with a HUF 224.8 billion turnover total.

Retail chains reacted in a very flexible way to the exceptionally rapid change of consuming and buying habits, Nielsen explained. The chains adopted multi channel sales strategies.

Tesco extended its hypermarket chain by opening supermarkets and express shops. CBA is acting out a very similar strategy by its CBA Prémium and CBA Cent chains, and Spar also applies the same strategy with its City Spar retail units apart from its super- and hypermarkets.

Nielsen points out that an increasing number of customers have access to discount shops which is reflected by the fact that both Aldi and Lidl improved a position on the lists. Lidl in seventh place achieved HUF 221 billion in the last business year, while it achieved HUF 191.2 billion in 2009. In the meantime Aldi increased its turnover in the 2010 business year to HUF 52.5 billion from the HUF 49.1 billion of 2009, based on the estimates of Nielsen.

The top list reflects the trend that consumers go shopping more often, but spend less on one occasion than before the crisis hit. The frequency of shopping grew significantly in the traditional small corner shops, supermarkets, bakeries and markets close to residences.