In Italy, SPAR customers have raised over €236,000 in just 20 days as part of a fundraising campaign called ‘Christmas of Giving’. Between 23 November and 12 December, customers could donate an amount of their choice at the checkouts of participating SPAR stores operated by Aspiag Service.

The SPAR Italy partner has donated the proceeds to four different charities, one for each of the four Italian regions where the retailer operates the SPAR Brand.

• ADVAR in Veneto, an association supporting the terminally ill and their families, will receive part of the donations to cover social and medical care.
• The ‘Santa Maria della Misericordia’ hospital in Udine will receive two crucial tools to enable early diagnosis of gastric cardia conditions, affecting one-third of the total population.
• Südtiroler Krebshilfe and Lilt Trento in Trentino-Alto Adige will receive funds to provide support to cancer patients and their families.
• AGEOP Research in Emilia-Romagna will receive funds to provide accommodation for the families of children suffering from cancer so they can remain close to their relatives.

Source: Aspiag Service

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About SPAR Italy

SPAR Italy was first granted the licence to operate the SPAR Brand in 1959. The first store opened in the latter part of 1960. With it, SPAR became the first partnership of retailers and wholesalers to operate in the country. SPAR Italy, known locally as DESPAR Italia, licenses regional partners, all of whom work together to grow the brand across the country.

The DESPAR Partners operate stores under three formats: DESPAR Neighbourhood Supermarkets, EUROSPAR Supermarkets and INTERSPAR Hypermarkets. Many of the larger format stores are company-owned, reflecting the scale of investment required. While the majority of the company’s turnover is acquired through these larger format stores, the independently owned neighbourhood supermarkets remain a key part of the business.