SPAR Austria proved they can maintain supply at all times, including during the lockdowns. SPAR logistics and store employees were particularly challenged during those times. Federal Minister of the Interior, Karl Nehammer, visited the SPAR logistics centre in St. Pölten and on behalf of the government, he thanked the SPAR team for their excellent performances in difficult times.

Food supply in Austria

With eight logistics centres and about 1,580 stores, SPAR Austria is an essential part of the national food supply. Approximately 8.9 million Austrians rely on continuous access to everyday products. At SPAR, regional and locally sourced products are given priority.

Safety for employees and customers

The safety of employees and customers was high on the agenda during the visit of the Minister of the Interior. SPAR has invested in safety for years and has been a partner of the Ministry’s ‘GEMEINSAM.SICHER’ (‘Safety for all’) initiative from the start. As part of this initiative, workshops and training courses on safety are held regularly at SPAR stores. The aim is to improve the safety of everyone, to prepare employees for unpleasant situations and to combat organised crime and cybercrime in retail.

“By knowing the best way to manage situations, the essential contribution to safety for all is possible. This is especially true in times of crisis. The training courses that our employees participated in under the ‘Gemeinsam Sicher’​​ initiative were very helpful during the Corona crisis and the lockdowns”, said SPAR Austria’s Director of the Board Hans K. Reisch.

Appreciation and respect

The Federal Minister Karl Nehammer was given a tour of the ultra-modern SPAR logistics centre in St. Pölten by Hans K Reisch and Alois Huber, SPAR Austria Managing Director for Vienna, Lower Austria, and Northern Burgenland.

During the tour, Minister Nehammer paid particular attention to the SPAR team. “I am pleased about the visit and the appreciation for our team. It is nice that this extraordinary achievement is recognised”, said Alois Huber.

Source: SPAR Austria

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About SPAR Austria

The origins of SPAR in Austria date back to 1954, but the current SPAR AG was created in 1970 when the original founding families joined with other regional wholesalers to form SPAR Austria AG – a 100% privately owned Austrian company.

With licences granted by SPAR International, ASPIAG (Austria SPAR International AG) has developed SPAR in Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia, and Northern Italy. With sales of €8.3 billion and impressive growth of 16%, SPAR Austria became the market leader in the Austrian grocery trade during 2020, after being a market growth leader for over a decade.