A Russian supermarket brand and potential rival to discounters Aldi and Lidl has its eyes on a Stockport store as Mere opens its first UK supermarket in Preston in August.
Trading in Russia as Svetofor, Mere will open its first UK store in Preston, Lancashire in August, with openings in Mold and Caldicot in Wales and Castleford, Yorkshire, planned later in the year. The discounter has ambitions to open 300 branches across the UK in the next eight to 10 years. Although no locations have been confirmed, a full list of areas revealed by the Russian discount supermarket in the running for a branch includes both Stockport and Stretford in Greater Manchester.
Already being nicknamed as the ‘Russian Lidl’, Mere intends to undercut its German rivals in the UK by 30%, thanks to its bare-bones approach to retail. Stores will be staffed by no more than eight workers, with customers shopping from pallets delivered directly to supermarkets by suppliers. Fresh produce will be sold from a walk-in chiller room.
Ahead of the first Mere store opening in Preston, UK business development manager for the Russian discount supermarket, Aleksandr Chkalov said:
On August 14, 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.”