According to the most recent Eurostat data, overall retail sales in Lithuania held up reasonably well as the 2023 started, with sales volumes in January up 2.1% on the same month the previous year, ahead of the EU average. December sales were 5.9% lower, however.
Elsewhere, data from Statistics Lithuania showed that sales for food, beverages and tobacco fell in the country in February (-7.6%) on a year-on-year basis, due to increasing inflation. Inflation in the Baltic region (Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania) has been the highest in the euro area in recent months.
Here's an overview of the top ten supermarket retail chains in Lithuania, according to their most recently-available full-year turnover. All data is supplied by Retail-Index (www.retail-index.com).
1. Maxima
Turnover: €1.76 billion (2021)
Maxima is the largest supermarket chain in Lithuania, reporting a turnover of €1.76 billion in 2021. The company operates under two brands – Maxima, under which it runs several banners of different sizes, and Barbora. Maxima operates 252 outlets in Lithuania as of this year.
2. IKI
Turnover: €719 million (2021)
IKI is the second-largest supermarket chain in Lithuania, with a turnover of €719 million as of 2021. The company has 238 stores across the country. Sweden's ICA Gruppen acquired the IKI business in December 2016.
3. Lidl
Turnover: €673 million (2022)
Lidl entered Lithuania in 2016, and has steadily built up its network, operating 68 stores in the country as of this year. The Lithuanian arm of the discounter, which is part of Germany's Schwarz Group, reported a turnover of €673 million in 2022.
4. Norfa
Turnover: €587 million (2021)
Norfa operates a network of supermarkets, hypermarkets and neighbourhood stores in Lithuania, with a turnover of €587 million in 2021. The company operates under five different banners – Norfa Hyper, Norfa L, Norfa S, Norfa XL, and Norfa XXL, and has a total of 156 stores across the country.
5. Rimi
Turnover: €395 million (2021)
Rimi operates in Lithuania under four different banners – Rimi Express, Rimi Hyper, Rimi Mini, and Rimi Super. The company, which is owned by Sweden's ICA Gruppen, reported a turnover of €395 million in 2021 and has 84 stores in Lithuania as of this year.
6. Silas
Turnover: €68 million (2021)
Silas operates 21 stores in Lithuania and had a turnover of €68 million in 2021. The group was founded in 1992 and largely operates around the capital, Vilnius.
7. Cia
Turnover: €45 million (2021)
Cia operates 114 stores in Lithuania under the Cia Market banner, and reported a turnover of €45 million in 2021. The group was formed in 1996, originally specialising in dairy products, before being expanded in 2011.
8. Kubas
Turnover: €32 million (2021)
Kubas has 34 stores in Lithuania and a turnover of €32 million as of 2021. It was founded in 2000, in Šiauliai in the northern part of the country.
9. Express Market
Turnover: €25 million (2021)
Boasting 37 stores in Lithuania, Express Market reported a turnover of €25 million as of 2021. The retailer is headquartered in Kaunas.
10. Gruste
Turnover: Unknown
Gruste operates 28 stores in Lithuania as of this year. It was founded in 1992 and also offers wholesale and public catering services.
About Retail-Index
Retail-Index is a specialist supplier of management information on consumer retail markets, provided by Veraart Research Group in the Netherlands. Its mission is to supply managers with up-to-date key information on retail markets in Europe and support them in their international expansion.
The company dates back to 1964, when it started as a market research and marketing consulting company for consumer products and services. In 1989, it started publishing written reports on various retail sectors in Europe. As of 2005, it publishes its information on retailers through the online database and curated datasheet exports available on www.retail-index.com. A team of researchers manages the data to reflect upon current developments in the markets, collected from an extensive number of sources.
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© 2023 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Robert McHugh. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
