Russian low-cost retailer Mere targets United Kingdom and France

Russian discounter Mere, which already has stores in Germany, Poland, Serbia and Ukraine among others, is looking for potential locations in the UK and in France

Svetofor

The hard discount retailer, which operates under the name Svetofor in its home country, has set up a UK website. There, the retailer says it is “in discussions with landlords, their representatives and agents” to open Mere stores in a number of locations across the UK.

According to The Grocer, the Russian chain already has concrete plans for the first four stores, the first of which will open in Preston next month. This will be followed by shops in Castleford (Northern England), Mold and Caldicot (Wales). Through its new UK website, the company hopes to find more suitable locations and calls on landlords and property owners to get in touch. The retailer also confirmed to financial magazine Capital that three French stores are planned for this year. The company does not disclose more details at this time. 

No premium products

Mere opened its first foreign office in Romania in 2017. The first stores in that country followed a year later. The retailer apparently has big European ambitions, because in addition to the UK, the group has now opened central buying offices in Bulgaria, Italy, Spain and Greece.

The company says it operates according to a no-frills concept. The range consists of about 1,200 essential products. Prices are said to be 20-30% lower than those of competitors.