SPAR 1023706 225638112 2008-07-14T17:56:53Z 59.96.48.35 {{otheruses|Spar (disambiguation)}} {{Infobox Company | company_name = SPAR | company_logo = [[Image:Spar-logo.svg|150px|SPAR logo]] | company_type = [[Public company|Public]] | company_slogan = | foundation = [[1932]] | location_city = [[marathalli]] | location_country = [[Netherlands]] | key_people = | industry = [[Retail]] | products = [[Supermarket|Grocery Store]]s, [[Convenience store|Convenience Stores]], [[Department store|Discount Store]]s [[Hypermarket]]s, and more | revenue = {{profit}} [[Euro|€]] 27 [[1000000000 (number)|billion]] ([[2006]]) | operating_income = | net_income = | num_employees = | subsid = | homepage = [http://www.spar-international.com/ Spar's Website] | footnotes = }} '''''SPAR''''' is an international leading global brand and is the world’s largest food retailer, with approximately 15,000 stores in 35 countries worldwide<ref name=Corporate> [http://www.spar.com.au/corporate.asp Corporate] - Spar Australia, 25 November 2007</ref>. ''SPAR'' originated in the Netherlands in [[1932]] and now, through its affiliate organisations, operates through most European countries, South Africa, Asia and Australia<ref name=Corporate/>. It operates on a principle similar to co-operative stores elsewhere, with retailers grouping together to get bulk discounts from suppliers/wholesalers<ref name=Corporate/>. Additionally, the purpose to provide the procurement, storage, and distribution of fast moving consumer goods to Independent Supermarkets, remains vital to the function the company <ref name=Corporate/>. == History == In [[1953]] an International ''SPAR'' office was opened in [[Amsterdam]] to control and further develop the organisation throughout Europe and other continents. Most ''SPAR'' stores are in [[Europe]], but they can also be found in a few countries outside of Europe, such as [[South Africa]], [[Botswana]], [[Namibia]], [[Zimbabwe]], [[Zambia]], [[Australia]], [[Mauritius]], [[China]] and [[Japan]]. In Japan the store operates under the name ''HOTSPAR'', although the store [[logo]] colouring remains unchanged. In the [[United Kingdom]] SPAR has become known primarily as a [[convenience store]] format but in the [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] SPAR operates using the subformat EUROSPAR too. The name, which was originally DE SPAR, is an acronym formed from the [[Dutch language|Dutch]] phrase ''Door Eendrachtig Samenwerken Profiteren Allen Regelmatig'' (literally: "through united co-operation everyone regularly profits"). Probably not just by chance, ''spaar'' means "save (money)" in [[Afrikaans]], Dutch, [[Danish language|Danish]], [[German language|German]] and [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]]. ''De spar'' in Dutch means "the [[fir]] tree", hence SPAR's [[logo]]. As the organisation expanded across Europe, the name was later abbreviated by dropping "DE", but the underlying meaning remains (in [[Italy]], the name is still ''Despar'', though in keeping with the international branding, the "SPAR" section of the logo is highlighted, and the larger stores are still called EUROSPAR and INTERSPAR). A SPAR store may be owned independently, by a [[Franchising|franchisee]], or be part of a [[chain store|chain]], depending on the model applied in any given country. The owners of the parent company vary from country to country and may include the store owners themselves. The only common link between the stores in different countries is the branding - the name and the current logo, which was designed in [[1968]] and has remained unchanged ever since. There are a number of sub-brands under the SPAR brand, with larger [[supermarket]]s being branded "EUROSPAR" or in Africa "SUPERSPAR", smaller stores "SPAR Express", and [[hypermarket]]s "INTERSPAR". Not all of these brands or formats are used in every country, however. The company has been a major sponsor of the [[European Athletic Association]] and its events since [[1996]]. The only Drive-Thru Spar in the world is on the Cliftonville Road in [[Belfast]], [[Northern Ireland]]. ==Slogans== * "SPAR is de boodschap": the original Dutch slogan (a play on the double meaning of ''boodschap'': "grocery" and "message") * "So near, so SPAR" * "Under the tree, at SPAR" (former Irish slogan, jingle still retained today) * "Du kjenner oss" ("You know us"), Norwegian slogan * "More passion for good prices", Romanian slogan * "Always close to you", Spanish slogan * "Good for you", South African slogan * "Dobro zame" ("Good for me"), Slovenian slogan * "There for you", United Kingdom slogan * "Big On Value" "Expect a little more" previous Northern Irish Eurospar slogans, now brought into line with the Republic of Ireland under the slogan The Super'''easy''' Super'''market''' * "Always there for you", Republic of Ireland slogan * "The Super Easy Supermarket", Irish Eurospar slogan. * "Making everyday better", Australian slogan, previously "Good Food, Easy Shopping" * "Alles da – Interspar!" ("Everything there – Interspar"), Austrian Interspar slogan. * "Taste of Spar", Austrian slogan * "Mindig Spar" ("Always Spar"), most used Hungarian slogan * "Baš za mene, Interšpar za mene" (Perfect for me, Interspar for me) - Croatian Interspar slogan SPAR recently opened up in Bangalore == SPAR International Statistics 2006 == {| class="wikitable sortable" !width="150"|Country !width="80"|Sales (thousands) !width="80"|No. of Stores !width="80"|Sales Area(m²) !width="80"|Sales per area !width="120"|Average Store<br/> Size (m²) |- | [[Image:Flag of Austria.svg|25px]] [[Austria]] | align="right" |€4,307,010 | align="right" |1,429 | align="right" |980,738 | align="right" |€4,392/m² | align="right" |686 |- | [[Image:Flag of Italy.svg|25px]] [[Italy]] | align="right" |€3,788,681 | align="right" |1,892 | align="right" |798,707 | align="right" |€4,744/m² | align="right" |422 |- | [[Image:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|25px]] [[UK]] | align="right" |€3,734,850 | align="right" |2,535 | align="right" |361,800 | align="right" |€10,323/m² | align="right" |143 |- | [[Image:Flag of South Africa.svg|25px]] [[South Africa]] | align="right" |€2,643,232 | align="right" |794 | align="right" |736,434 | align="right" |€3,589/m² | align="right" |927 |- | [[Image:Flag of Germany.svg|25px]] [[Germany]] | align="right" |€1,388,648 | align="right" |717 | align="right" |185,870 | align="right" |€7,471/m² | align="right" |259 |- | [[Image:Flag of Spain.svg|25px]] [[Spain]] | align="right" |€1,188,330 | align="right" |1,526 | align="right" |394,407 | align="right" |€3,013/m² | align="right" |258 |- | [[Image:Flag of Ireland.svg|25px]] [[Ireland]] | align="right" |€1,187,000 | align="right" |422 | align="right" |113,506 | align="right" |€10,458/m² | align="right" |257 |- | [[Image:Flag of Norway.svg|25px]] [[Norway]] | align="right" |€1,161,159 | align="right" |327 | align="right" |166,711 | align="right" |€6,965/m² | align="right" |510 |- | [[Image:Flag of Hungary.svg|25px]] [[Hungary]] | align="right" |€975,883 | align="right" |204 | align="right" |236,041 | align="right" |€4,134/m² | align="right" |1,236 |- | [[Image:Flag of Denmark.svg|25px]] [[Denmark]] | align="right" |€863,868 | align="right" |485 | align="right" |141,710 | align="right" |€6,096/m² | align="right" |292 |- | [[Image:Flag of France.svg|25px]] [[France]] | align="right" |€834,198 | align="right" |877 | align="right" |220,483 | align="right" |€3,784/m² | align="right" |251 |- | [[Image:Flag of Japan.svg|25px]] [[Japan]] | align="right" |€810,530 | align="right" |683 | align="right" |141,318 | align="right" |€5,736/m² | align="right" |207 |- | [[Image:Flag of Belgium.svg|25px]] [[Belgium]] | align="right" |€655,488 | align="right" |365 | align="right" |144,026 | align="right" |€4,551/m² | align="right" |395 |- | [[Image:Flag of Greece.svg|25px]] [[Greece]] | align="right" |€572,741 | align="right" |161 | align="right" |114,554 | align="right" |€5,000/m² | align="right" |712 |- | [[Image:Flag of Slovenia.svg|25px]] [[Slovenia]] | align="right" |€552,800 | align="right" |69 | align="right" |103,556 | align="right" |€5,338/m² | align="right" |1,644 |- | [[Image:Flag of Finland.svg|25px]] [[Finland]] | align="right" |€461,000 | align="right" |262 | align="right" |152,790 | align="right" |€3,017/m² | align="right" |583 |- | [[Image:Flag of the Czech Republic.svg|25px]] [[Czech Rep.]] | align="right" |€420,286 | align="right" |140 | align="right" |127,140 | align="right" |€3,306/m² | align="right" |908 |- | [[Image:Flag of the Netherlands.svg|25px]] [[Netherlands]] | align="right" |€377,061 | align="right" |298 | align="right" |89,198 | align="right" |€4,227/m² | align="right" |299 |- | [[Image:Flag of Switzerland.svg|25px]] [[Switzerland]] | align="right" |€295,402 | align="right" |149 | align="right" |57,434 | align="right" |€5,143/m² | align="right" |385 |- | [[Image:Flag of Russia.svg|25px]] [[Russia]] | align="right" |€292,752 | align="right" |81 | align="right" |44,481 | align="right" |€6,582/m² | align="right" |549 |- | [[Image:Flag of Zimbabwe.svg|25px]] [[Zimbabwe]] | align="right" |€160,426 | align="right" |79 | align="right" |42,682 | align="right" |€3,759/m² | align="right" |540 |- | [[Image:Flag of Poland.svg|25px]] [[Poland]] | align="right" |€60,388 | align="right" |50 | align="right" |12,799 | align="right" |€4,718/m² | align="right" |256 |- | [[Image:Flag of Australia.svg|25px]] [[Australia]] | align="right" |€55,792 | align="right" |46 | align="right" |22,405 | align="right" |€2,490/m² | align="right" |487 |- | [[Image:Flag of Botswana.svg|25px]] [[Botswana]] | align="right" |€55,038 | align="right" |23 | align="right" |16,972 | align="right" |€3,243/m² | align="right" |738 |- | [[Image:Flag of Namibia.svg|25px]] [[Namibia]] | align="right" |€54,046 | align="right" |22 | align="right" |20,023 | align="right" |€2,699/m² | align="right" |910 |- | [[Image:Flag of Croatia.svg|25px]] [[Croatia]]* | align="right" |€49,140 | align="right" |3 | align="right" |13,115 | align="right" |€3,747/m² | align="right" |4,372 |- | [[Image:Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg|25px]] [[China]]* | align="right" |€30,000 | align="right" |17 | align="right" |94,000 | align="right" |€319/m² | align="right" |5,529 |- | [[Image:Flag of Mauritius.svg|25px]] [[Mauritius]] | align="right" |€16,681 | align="right" |6 | align="right" |5,300 | align="right" |€3,147/m² | align="right" |883 |- | [[Image:Flag of Zambia.svg|25px]] [[Zambia]] | align="right" |€14,626 | align="right" |5 | align="right" |11,801 | align="right" |€1,239/m² | align="right" |2,360 |- | [[Image:Flag of Ukraine.svg|25px]] [[Ukraine]] | align="right" |€13,651 | align="right" |8 | align="right" |3,531 | align="right" |€3,866/m² | align="right" |441 |- | [[Image:Flag of Romania.svg|25px]] [[Romania]]* | align="right" |€6,142 | align="right" |8 | align="right" |13,945 | align="right" |€440/m² | align="right" |1,743 |- | [[Image:Flag of India.svg|25px]] [[India]] | align="right" |€5,000 | align="right" |2 | align="right" |450 | align="right" |€11,111/m² | align="right" |225 |- <!-- until there actually is data for it, this listing is useless | [[Image:Flag of Portugal.svg|25px]] [[Portugal]] | align="right" |First Store opens June 2007 | align="right" | | align="right" | | align="right" | --> |-class="sortbottom" ! align="left" |Total ! align="right" |€27,040,849 ! align="right" |13,686 ! align="right" |5,567,927 ! align="right" |€4,856/m² ! align="right" |407 |} * *A significant number of stores opened late in 2006 ==External links== *[http://www.spar-int.com SPAR International] *[http://www.interspar.at/interspar/angebote/werbung.htm INTERSPAR AUSTRIA] *http://www.budgens.co.uk ==References== <references/> *[http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/91/91269.html Yahoo! - SPAR Handels-Aktiengesellschaft Company Profile] (2,500+1,175+200 stores) *[http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/135/135684.html Yahoo! - SPAR (UK) Limited Company Profile] (2,600 stores) {{UK supermarkets}} {{Supermarkets in Ireland}} {{Convenience stores}} [[Category:Convenience stores]] [[Category:Supermarkets of Northern Ireland]] [[Category:Supermarkets of Romania]] [[Category:Supermarkets of Spain]] [[Category:Supermarkets of the Netherlands]] [[cs:Spar]] [[da:Spar (supermarked)]] [[de:Spar]] [[fr:SPAR]] [[it:SPAR]] [[hu:Spar]] [[nl:Spar (supermarkt)]] [[ja:スパー]] [[no:SPAR]] [[ru:SPAR]] [[sv:SPAR]]