ROMANIA: Modern retail openings in September | Progresiv
International retailers have continued to invest in expanding their store chains in September and have opened 18 business units, thus maintaining the pace of expansion of recent months. Regarding the developments in sales channels, last month’s openings star was the proximity segment. 
The first position among the most expansive retailers is held also this month by Profi, who marked nine new stores. In second place in the ranking lies Mega Image which inaugurated 7 units, and the third position is occupied by Carrefour Market and Lidl, who have opened one new business unit each.
Of the 9 units inaugurated by Profi, 5 operate in standard format and 4 operate in the Profi City proximity format. This month, the retailer opened its first store in 1 Decembrie. With these openings, the national chain operated by the retailer controlled by Polish investment fund Enterprise Investors has reached 344 stores. Profi maintained its pace of expansion from recent months and aims to reach 100 opened stores by the end of the year.
Belgian retailer Mega Image focused its investments in the proximity chain expansion and opened 5 stores under the Shop & Go banner as well as a Mega Image supermarket. Also, after five months from the inauguration of the Gusturi Romanesti concept, Mega Image opened its second store under this banner in the Moghioros market in Drumul Taberei neighbourhood. The unit was inaugurated in the former Angst location taken over last year and reopened under the name of Mega Image Moghioros 2. Currently, Mega Image operates 436 stores under the banners Mega Image (201), Shop&Go (232), AB COOL FOOD (1) and Gusturi Romanesti (2).
Lidl also continued investments in Romania and opened a new store in Pipera. This is the fourth unit of German retailer opened this year and with this store, Lidl has 188 local units.
Carrefour also marked a new opening, in the supermarket segment. The retailer opened its fifth Market store at the end of last month in Timisoara, bringing the total number to 99 stores in this format.
For more detailed analysis on the local expansion of international retailers access the Ika Romania interactive application: www.ika.magazinulprogresiv.ro.
