Wal-Mart coming to Poland?
PR dla Zagranicy
John Beauchamp
28.06.2011 15:10
The German Metro Group, which owns the Real supermarket chain, is rumoured to sell off its assets in Poland, with a possible bid rumoured to come from American shopping giants Wal-Mart.
Currently Wal-Mart owns 4,500 stores in fifteen countries worldwide, although have yet to reach out to Poland. Metro now plans to sell 54 Real supermarkets in Poland, 19 of which are part of the Geant chain which the German company bought out in 2006.
According to the portalspozywczy.pl, a website concentrating on the grocery sector, Poland and Russia are attractive areas for investment for the American shopping giant.
The portal adds that a possible purchase of the Real stores in Poland would provide a springboard into markets in Poland and the region.
The move comes as Wal-Mart a few years ago tried to enter the Russian market, although ended up closing their Moscow office last December amid problems with tighter regulations.
Wal-Mart has been eyeing the Polish market since 2005, when it was first announced that the budget chain was looking into setting up shop in the country. (jb)