Every twentieth grocery store closed in one year

Early 2016 there were 16,869 grocery stores in Hungary, 5 percent less than a year before: 860 shops closed for good, mainly traditional 200m² and smaller units, especially in the southern counties: 9 percent fewer shops were counted in the South East and 8 percent fewer were registered in the South West. The number of 51-200m² stores reduced by 7 percent, but despite this shops in this channel increased sales by 7 percent – the average FMCG sales growth was 4 percent.

Consumption habits are changing and comfortable shopping is becoming more important – informed client service manager Ágnes Szűcs-Villányi. Shoppers like to visit stores that are close to where they live. In Hungary there are still 17 grocery stores per 10,000 inhabitants; for instance the same number is 5 in Germany and 7 in Austria, but on the other hand it is 25 in Slovakia and 28 in Poland..