Supermarkets, 2010's star of retail. Over 40 openings and 65m-euro investments

Whereas 2009 was the year of discounters, in 2010 it was supermarkets' turn to become the most dynamic segment of modern retail.

Thus, last year 44 supermarkets opened, with Mega Image as the most dynamic player on this segment, with 21 stores, followed by Billa with 13 and Carrefour with 10.

As the average investment per supermarket stands at some 1.5m euros, retailers invested over 65m euros in the 44 stores and created around 1,300 new jobs, according to ZF calculations.

The other segments of modern retail did not halt expansion, either. Thus, December saw seven supermarkets, four discounters, a convenience store and two Metro Punct stores open, according to the data collected by ZF.

In the first 11 months of last year, the supermarket segment boasted the fastest expansion in the entire modern retail, with their number rising by 18.6%, to a total number of 172 stores, according to a survey by MEMRB market research firm.