Full list of areas where new supermarket 'cheaper than Aldi' wants to open in the UK

13 May 2021, 13:28 | Updated: 13 May 2021, 14:30

Russian supermarket Mere claims to undercut existing supermarkets by 20-30 per cent.

A new supermarket that claims to be cheaper than discounters like Aldi and Lidl is eyeing up a number of possible locations to open in the UK.

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The Russian chain - named Mere - is apparently 20-30 per cent cheaper than rivals, due its no frills model that sees suppliers deliver directly to stores, eight employees per store, and no money spent on marketing.

It is set to open its first UK shop in Preston next month, its second in Castleford, north England, and two in Wales, in Mold and Caldicot.

The chain is hoping to open in a number of new areas, and is appealing for more landlords to contact it via its website.

Its site reads: "We are looking for suitable locations across UK to expand our retail chain.

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"At the moment, despite coronavirus, we are actively involved with landlords, their representatives and agents with the aim to open our Mere retail stores ASAP."

As reported by The Grocer, the locations it hopes to open in are as follows: Devon, Stockport, Neath, Banbury, Selby, Bradford, Middlesbrough, Grantham, Kettering, Plymouth, Beckenham, Gloucester, Northampton, Cardiff, Oswestry, Barnsley, Sheffield, Exeter, Stretford, Southampton, south Scotland and Wales.

The chain is looking for sites of around 10,000 sq with 30-40 parking spaces. It is eyeing up areas with a local population of 60,000 or more.

Mere, known locally as Svetofor in Russia, was founded in 2009 - and now has about 3,200 stores internationally, including in Germany, Poland, Romania, Lithuania, Latvia and Ukraine.

Each UK store will sell around 1,200 items, and won't sell things like newspapers, magazines and other premium, branded goods.

Speaking to The Grocer, Pavels Antonovs - the store's head of buying - said: "We are the gap in the market. We don’t have any competitors.

"Our model is no service and no marketing."

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