Spar Austria achieves market share increase
Spar Austria has announced that it has managed to increase its market share.The Salzburg-based firm said today (Thurs) that its share in the Austrian supermarket business rose by one per cent to 29.5 per cent last year thanks to a 4.5 per cent turnover jump to 5.15 billion Euros.Spar Austria is the second-biggest foodstuff shop chain in Austria behind Rewe International which runs Billa, Penny and other supermarkets. Rewe International, which belongs to the German Rewe Group, achieved a turnover of 11.55 billion Euros in 2009.Spar Austria announced today that it had 1,502 shops in Austrias nine provinces in 2010, up from 1,494 in the previous year. The firm added around 100 branches were renovated or expanded last year.The company, which is headed by Gerhard Drexel, has around 74,000 employees.Spar Austria made headlines in December by announcing plans to set up a shop in the birth house of composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in the city centre of Salzburg. The store is set to open in around two months.