A SUPERMARKET dubbed “Russia’s Lidl”, which claims to be 30% cheaper than its rivals, has revealed the opening date for its first UK store.
Svetofor was founded in Siberia in 2009, but it’s opened stores in Europe since 2018 under the name Mere – now it’s coming to the UK for the first time ever.
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Its first store will open in Preston’s Ribbleton on August 14, and 300 more stores in total could follow over the next eight to 10 years at Mere battles to become Britain’s cheapest grocer.
Mere UK business development manager Aleksandr Chkalov told The Grocer: “On 14 August we will be glad to present our new retail model: a real hard discounter, with no shelves, no service, no convenience, just the lowest prices.”
Items on offer at the store when it opens will include React antibacterial wipes, Maxsonic batteries, Luxe and Cusheen toilet tissue, Goodwin’s instant noodles, Laser tinned mackerel and Warrior energy drinks, according to reports.
A second store in Caldicot will open a month later and shops in Castleford and Mold will open later this year.
Mere compares itself to Costco, but with no membership fee and no in-store service.
The company claims it will undercut even the cheapest UK supermarkets by between 20% to 30%.
Where is Mere planning to open shops?
MERE, which has been dubbed “Russia’s Lidl”, plans to open hundreds of locations across the UK over the next eight to 10 years.
It’s first store will open in Preston’s Ribbleton on August 14.
Mere hasn’t confirmed when it will be opening more locations, but we’ll update this story when we know more.
Here’s a number of locations across the country Mere is reportedly looking at to open new stores in.
More locations could be added to the list as Mere reveals more about its expansion plans:
- Castleford
- Mold
- Caldicot
- Devon
- Stockport
- Neath
- Banbury
- Selby
- Bradford
- Middlesbrough
- Grantham
- Kettering
- Plymouth
- Beckenham
- Gloucester
- Northampton
- Cardiff
- Oswestry
- Barnsley
- Sheffield
- Exeter
- Stretford
- Southampton
- South Scotland
- Wales
Each UK store will reportedly be about 10,000 square feet and have just eight workers.
The shops are also said to include a walk-in chiller room and freezer, and items are typically sold directly from the pallets they’re delivered on.
The supermarket buys stock from suppliers on a “sale or return basis”, which means it’ll return any unsold goods to the seller.
The Russian chain is said to have 3,200 stores around the world.
The Sun has contacted Mere for comment.
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