The Polish shopping chain Biedronka recently announced where it plans to open its first stores in Slovakia.This information also caught the attention of Poland itself, where the network has its roots..
According to reports from Poland published by the Onet.pl portal, the choice of locations where Biedronka plans to enter the Slovak market is surprising to many.The list does not include the capital Bratislava or other large regional cities that might seem like logical choices for expansion.It is also surprising that there are no localities in eastern Slovakia on the list.
First stores outside big cities.
Biedronka plans to open its first stores in Levice, Nové Zámky, Považská Bystrica, Senica and Zvolen.The move refuted speculation that the chain would first focus on larger cities.However, Polish media suggest that the absence of major cities may only be temporary and that these locations may be included in later stages of expansion.
The search for employees has already begun.
The first stores should be opened in the next few months, although the exact dates have not yet been announced.The company has already started looking for managers for new branches, offering a basic salary from 1475 euros, depending on the applicants’ experience.This wage is uniform for all planned locations.
Expectations and fears of Slovaks.
The arrival of Biedronka on the Slovak market is awaited with great interest, especially when it comes to the possibility of price reductions.Some Slovaks are already traveling to Poland for shopping, where they take advantage of the lower prices offered by this chain.
On the other hand, there are also concerns in Slovakia that the arrival of a large chain could negatively affect smaller local shops and food vendors.The chain could prefer cheaper foreign suppliers, which could have an impact on the Slovak market.
It is not yet known what proportion of Slovak products Biedronka will offer in its stores.In addition, the company also plans to sell products under its own brands, such as Herbarium for teas, Bondi for yogurts, Elios for Greek specialties and Miami for baby products.These marks have already been confirmed by the Industrial Property Office.
