Billa will begin competing for small-town market share, having concentrated until now on the larger cities in the Czech Republic. Unlike other large chains, however, the smaller format stores will look roughly the same as its standard larger units rather than creating an entirely new design. As in most areas of life, changing lifestyle patterns following the pandemic form part of the background to the decision. “Many residents are moving to smaller agglomerations and they miss our services there. That’s why we’re getting closer to them with this smaller format,” said spokeswoman Dana Bratankova. The first of the new, smaller stores will open in the village of Strasice near Rokycan in what will serve as a pilot project for the retailer. It’s a big event for the village, which has just 2,600 resident. “Our citizens won’t have to drive 15 kilometers to the next town, they’ll be able to shop here in comfort,” said its mayor Jiri Hahner. Billa’s biggest competition will come from the COOP and Hruska chains, who have been modernizing and expanding their small-town network for years now.
