Mere in Hungary: price list already available, no store yet

By: Trademagazin Date: 2025. 01. 31. 11:50

The Russian retail chain Mere has not yet officially opened a store in Hungary, but its price list has already been prepared, which reveals the prices it plans to compete with in the domestic market. Based on the available data, the chain could launch significant price competition, as its prices are 10-20 percent lower than those of Lidl, Aldi, Tesco, Auchan, SPAR and Penny.

According to an internal document obtained by Világgazdaság, Mere’s price list is constantly updated to adapt to market conditions. Although the chain has not yet opened a store in Hungary, if it were to enter the market, it could bring significant changes to domestic retail. The Russian chain’s business model is different from the usual: the assortment is narrower, containing about 500 products, which would be displayed on pallets, similar to discount chains.

Outstanding price differences

Mere’s pricing shows significant differences in the following product categories in particular:

Spirits: A liter of cider would be 846 forints, while elsewhere it is over 1000 forints.

Vodka: 4341 forints per liter, which is 20 percent lower than the cheapest offer of competitors.

Pulses: Peas would be 500 forints per kilo, while on the market it is around 560 forints.

Wheat flour: would remain below 800 forints, compared to the market minimum of 1000 forints.

Cooking oil: 471 forints/liter, which is a 20 percent advantage compared to the market price of 590 forints.

Sausages and meat products: The offer would be 20 percent cheaper compared to the competition.

Although the Russian chain would offer extremely favorable prices on paper, the implementation is questionable. The opening has been announced several times in recent years, but the deadlines have been pushed back. According to the latest information, the first stores could open in the first half of 2025, but so far we have not seen any concrete steps towards this.