This news came as a complete surprise to the Austrians on Thursday: The Rewe Group has announced the end of the “Merkur” brand.
The turquoise-green brand is apparently being crushed, but the markets are to be retained and entered the race as an extension of the “Billa” family. The former “Merkur” branches will open to customers as “Billa Plus” stores from April – “Heute” reported.
In the summer of 2020, REWE had already combined Billa and Merkur in the background in one organization, Billa Merkur Austria (BMÖ), and up to 250 jobs were cut. “We want to move away from the double strategy,” Rewe boss Marcel Haraszti was quoted in the “Kurier” at the time.
The 144 stores are getting a facelift. The employees' packaging and work clothes are now also to be given a billa look. Turquoise green becomes yellow.
The range of services and range of the previous Merkur stores is to be retained and even expanded.
“For Merkur fans, the market experience, the variety in the assortment, the quality and the freshness competence of the Merkur large area, the large selection in the market or freshly made products on site are completely retained”, says Rewe.
Rewe hopes that the merging of its two largest umbrella brands will not only strengthen the “Billa” brand, but also make substantial cost savings. At the same time one declares war on the big competitor “Spar”.
“Two strong sales formats that have been successful for decades are now moving even closer together, are able to support each other even better and are able to act in a more targeted manner in the offerings for our customers. We are therefore concentrating with all our strength on our common goal: to become the number 1 customer Haraszti said in a broadcast on Thursday.
