Grocery retail analysts predict steady growth in Central Europe | Progresiv
Analysts from the Polish market research agency PMR have predicted that grocery retail in Central Europe will continue growing in the coming years, and could generate a 145 billion euros turnover by 2021. The growth is expected to include all Central European markets, although the growth rate is expected to vary. 
The Romanian and Bulgarian grocery retail markets are predicted to be the fastest-growing in the coming years, on account of a rapid expansion of hypermarkets and discount stores in those countries.
But while the retail market share was below 40% in Bulgaria in 2015, the Czech market had a market share of over 70% in the same year, and is therefore expected to be the slowest-growing.
Bulgaria and Romania are also significantly below the regional average, in terms of market value per capita.
The per capita values of the Bulgarian and Romanian market were respectively 67% and 59% of the Central European average, in 2015.
By 2021 Bulgaria is forecast to reach the estimated regional average of 75%, although Romania is expected to maintain an average of around 60%.
The Slovakian market is forecast to fall from 124% in 2015 to 116% by 2021, and the Czech market will experience a drop from 114% to 106%. Poland is forecast to remain at 118-119% of the Central European average. (www.esmmagazine.com)
