The world’s largest voluntary retail chain, SPAR International, has announced global retail sales for the year ending December 31, 2015 of €33 billion ($48.65 billion), a 3.5 per cent increase on 2014.
The growth was the chain’s strongest in five years, aided by the growing pace of economic recovery in Europe and SPAR’s expansion in emerging markets.
“The 2015 figures show the continuing strength and attractiveness of the SPAR brand globally,” SPAR International Managing Director Tobias Wasmuht said. “With a presence now in 42 markets around the world, SPAR continues to be the partner of choice for independent retail partners keen to embrace retail best practice and fast-track their development in the face of international competition.”
The figures showed that growth was particularly strong in Africa, while SPAR also expanded into four new markets in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. SPAR International encompasses 12,400 stores across 42 countries serving 13 million people a day.
Mr Wasmuht said that SPAR hoped to continue seeing growth through entry into emerging markets.
“As part of our future strategy, we will continue to drive forward into significant new and high-potential markets in 2016, having already put in place partnerships that will see the SPAR brand grow in Asia and Africa in the second half of the year,” he said.