Boston, MA -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/21/2013 -- SPAR has seen a turbulent few years since the downturn in 2008. UK sales grew by 28.6% in 2009, declined by 6.4% in 2010 before a more modest increase of 4.3% in 2011. Store numbers have fluctuated too as the symbol retailer sees high levels of member turnover thanks to competitive packages offered by its rivals. We investigate the future for SPAR in the ever competitive convenience market.

Scope of this Report

- Benchmark your performance in food & grocery with detailed key performance indicators across sales and space data for SPAR
- Benchmark your performance in food & grocery with detailed key performance indicators across sales and space data for SPAR
- Plan your expansion strategy by understanding how and where SPAR has increased its store portfolio, and the impact this has had on densities
- Discover the impact of UK store closures and the influence of rival symbol groups with detailed market shares and analysis of grocery sales

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Report Highlights

In January 2013 SPAR introduced Amazon collection lockers into nine of its stores, and plans to roll this out further across its portfolio. While the move does little to indicate a multichannel offer from SPAR itself, it will allow the retailer to benefit from increased footfall and distress purchases from shoppers collecting and returning parcels.

SPAR suffers from price competition from larger rivals and has set out to address this with its S Budget range, which it is rolling out across major European markets. The diffuse nature of the organisation across many national markets, each with its own needs and tastes, and the independent ownership of many stores makes this is a difficult task.

During 2012, SPAR expanded its SPAR Express format to new forecourt locations in Austria in partnership with Shell Austria. 13 opened between August and November 2012, with 16 more to follow by the end of the year. The stores carry around 1,800 lines and focus on bread and bakery goods, locally sourced fruit and vegetables and convenience ranges.

Reasons to Get this Report

- How will SPAR's food & grocery sales grow in 2013, and what impact will this have on market share
- What are SPAR's plans for expansion over the coming years, and how will this contribute to sales growth
- What impact will store closures have on SPAR's food & grocery market shares and what does it need to do to recover

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