SPAR Netherlands enjoyed a very successful year in 2016, with the company achieving good sales results. This year, working jointly with SPAR independent retailers and suppliers, SPAR Netherlands is rolling out a number of initiatives aimed at building an even stronger brand. Stores throughout the country are being renovated to reflect a new design style applying to all formats operated by SPAR in the Netherlands.

Store updates

To start with, SPAR Netherlands is updating a large number of neighbourhood stores to fit with the new SPAR 3.0 style. The stores are being renovated at a very fast pace, with a fresh and modern look-and-feel.

Existing SPAR city stores are also being converted to the new design style, as are SPAR stores in tourist and recreational locations. Plans are in place to open a minimum of 20 city stores in 2017.

“The market is changing and we are responding to such changes with our store renovations,” said Susanne Kroon, SPAR Netherlands Commercial Director. “In this way, we are preparing our stores for the future. The product assortment is being fine-tuned to reflect the freshness of our modern stores. This will all make SPAR more vibrant than ever.”

New slogan: “You can find it at SPAR”

A strong brand must have a strong, uniform image. The new 3.0 SPAR stores are designed around meal moments that are important to customers, such as breakfast, lunch and dinner. Each moment is linked to a recognisable, striking colour in the store design. The SPAR slogan has been updated to reflect these developments, changing from “My Neighbourhood, my SPAR” to “You can find it at SPAR”.

Susanne Kroon: “The new slogan highlights the convenience that SPAR offers and the fact that at SPAR you can always find what you want, for each time of the day. The renovated stores are aimed at providing everyday convenience to our customers, as this is one of the main reasons a customer buys a certain product at a certain store.”

Promotional materials

The promotional materials are also being redesigned and updated to express the fresh identity of SPAR Netherlands and provide inspiration and special offers for each time of the day.

New SPAR trucks and an improved supply chain

In order to deliver goods quickly and efficiently to all SPAR stores in the country, new trucks have been rolled out – branded with the new slogan.

To improve supply chain efficiency, SPAR Netherlands has started pooling deliveries from three suppliers. This has cut delivery costs per pallet by 18%. In such as competitive market, the reduction in such costs helps both independent retailers and the distribution centre to safeguard margins for a more economically sustainable business.