The economic crisis in the past year has proved fertile for the discount retailers stepping on Bulgarian soil in recent months and the country will see their boom in 2010, a realtor report says.

When comparing with the structure of the retail segment in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) it is evident that Bulgaria is still in its discount infancy, and significant development can be anticipated on this front, especially in the food section, Colliers International Bulgaria says.

Three food discount chains are currently operating in Bulgaria; Kaufland, Penny Market and Plus.

Kaufland is a part of the Swartz Group which also owns Lidl. It is a soft discounter that entered the Bulgarian market in 2006 in Plovdiv. Now it is strongly positioned on the market with more than 26 hypermarkets.

Plus (part of Tengelman) and Penny Market (Rewe Group) are two other German soft discounters with an aggressive growth strategy for Bulgaria. Both chains are using the approach of Lidl, which is about to open its first sites in Bulgaria.

In 2010 the Bulgarian market will also witness the entry of international retail giants – Inditex Group (with its 5 brands; Zara, Bershka, Massimo Dutti, Stradivarius and Pull and Bear), Peek&Cloppenburg, and GAP.

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