SPAR Norway opened two new stores at the tail end of summer – SPAR Kongsberg and SPAR Bekkelaget. Both stores mark the return of SPAR in their respective communities, bringing an expanded offering of fresh products to local customers.

SPAR Kongsberg
Shoppers in Kongsberg on 13 August welcomed the return of SPAR after a 15-year hiatus, with opening weekend sales reaching NOK 1.1 million (€100,000). 

Although the area has a wide range of grocery retail outlets, SPAR distinguishes itself by offering not only a wide selection of fresh produce but also many warm food-to-go options and freshly baked goods. The store features self-checkouts and an LED-lighting system, in addition to the expansive assortment of food and beverages.

Kongsberg is widely regarded as the tech capital of Norway. The SPAR store is located just outside of the city centre. An industrial area is currently under development next to the store, which is expected to create over 1,000 jobs over the next few years. Kongsberg also sees a considerable amount of traffic from people on their way to cabin areas such as Blefjell and Geilo. 

SPAR Bekkelaget
SPAR Bekkelaget opened in Ottestad (Hamar region), a city with a population of 12,659. On the opening day, the store welcomed 1,500 customers and achieved sales of NOK 320,000 (€32,000). 

The premises previously housed a Kiwi store, and locals have responded very positively to having SPAR back in the neighbourhood, after the closure of a SPAR store in 2019 for renovations. To provide customers with the best offering, SPAR Bekkelaget has a counter for fresh goods as well as a large department with freshly baked goods. The retailer operating the store is locally based and knows the area well.

Read more about SPAR Norway.

About SPAR Norway

NorgesGruppen ASA is the parent company of SPAR Norway and is the market leader in the highly concentrated Norwegian grocery market. The SPAR licence for Norway was signed by NorgesGruppen AS in 1984. In February 2013, NorgesGruppen purchased 49% of the Dagrofa Group – the licence partner operating the SPAR Brand in Denmark.

SPAR Norway operates two retail formats: EUROSPAR, which continues to see expansion and growth following very positive consumer response, and SPAR. This neighbourhood supermarket format was the first format to be established.