Access Investments-European Union- ROMANIA

Penny Market, the biggest discount chain in Romania, held by German group Rewe, posted a 4.3% sales rise last year, to over 380 million euros, according to ZF calculations based on data in the annual report of the German group. Penny Market's results round up the list of trade market leaders (Metro Cash&Carry, Carrefour - hypermarkets and Mega Image - supermarkets), which mentioned the performance of the Romanian market in their reports. France's Carrefour, the biggest player in modern retail, saw its Romanian business slip 0.44% last year, while the sales performance of Metro Cash&Carry, the biggest player in modern trade, "was markedly weaker," according to data in the group's report. On the other hand, Penny Market and Mega Image (the most extensive supermarket chain) reported sales increases, though with the help of new stores.
Romanian sales of Penny Market fared the best in the region, considering that the German discount division fell 1.2% last year and the Czech division went up 3.8%. (Z.F.)