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Salling Group A/S (formerly Dansk Supermarked A/S) is Denmark's largest retailer, with a market share around 34%.[2] It operates several chains of stores, including Netto, Føtex, Bilka, and Salling. Additionally, it holds franchise rights for Starbucks and Carl's Jr. in Denmark. Salling Group's international operations include Netto, which has expanded into Germany and Poland, and has made two unsuccessful attempts at operating in the United Kingdom. Its stores in Sweden were sold off in 2019. But in 2025, it was expanded to the Baltic states with a store Rimi.

Key Information

On 1 June 2018, Dansk Supermarked changed its name to Salling Group.[3]

Salling store on Strøget in Aarhus.

History

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The early years

[edit]

The Danish Supermarket was built on the foundation of the Salling department store, created in 1906 by Ferdinand Salling. He worked there until his death in 1953 and he managed to transform his company into public limited company - F. Salling A/S.

After the death of Ferdinand Salling, his son Herman Salling took over the company. He travelled all over the world in search for inspiration and new ideas. After that he decided to focus on department stores, supermarkets and hypermarket chains.

In 1960, Herman Salling opened his first supermarket store Føtex, through his company Jysk Supermarket, which was a completely new type of store for Denmark. The idea behind that store was to provide both food and textiles under one roof.[4]

A.P. Møller enters Dansk Supermarked

[edit]

Herman Salling wanted to expand his venture across Europe, so he started looking for partners to provide him extra funding.

Salling found the right partner in 1964 and he made a deal with Arnold Peter Møller, which acquired 50% of the company off him. Møller also suggested that Herman Salling's company - Jysk Supermarket, should change its name to Danish Supermarket A/S.

The birth of Bilka

[edit]

In 1970, Danish Supermarked gave the Danes the first discount store in Denmark - Bilka. The first store was located in Tilst, near Aarhus. After the opening of the store, there were more than 50,000 people visiting it every day. At this point, the customers were becoming more and more price conscious. Some of them even had extra freezers at their homes, so that they could buy more goods at the discount store. The idea for the creation of Bilka came from Herman Salling's visit to West Germany. After that he managed to convince his partner, the shipping magnate Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller, that hypermarkets were the way forward.[5]

The launch of Netto

[edit]

In 1981, the first store of the discount supermarket chain Netto was opened in Denmark. The company later expanded into France, Germany, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Netto is the only company part of Salling Group to have expanded outside Denmark.

The German Netto stores, set up in 1990, were originally a 75:25 joint venture between Dansk Supermarked and the largest German supermarket chain, Edeka. Dansk Supermarked acquired Edeka's 25% stake in January 2013, enabling it to become a wholly owned subsidiary of Dansk Supermarked. Edeka also owns a separate discount supermarket chain, Netto Marken-Discount, which is completely unrelated to Dansk Supermarked.

The United Kingdom Netto stores, also set up in 1990, were later sold to the British supermarket chain Asda, (owned by the United States retailer Walmart), in 2010. However, in 2014, Dansk Supermarked relaunched Netto UK stores as a 50:50 joint venture with another British supermarket chain, J Sainsbury plc. In 2016 J Sainsbury plc closed cooperation with DS and again Netto chain left British market.

The Swedish Netto stores were established in 2002 as a 50:50 joint venture with the Swedish retailer ICA AB. However, ICA later reduced its stake to 5%, meaning that from 2006 Dansk Supermarked had a 95% controlling interest in the Swedish Netto stores. Netto left Sweden in July 2019, when the stores were sold off to Coop Butiker & Stormarknader AB.[6]

Expansion into other ventures

[edit]

Tøj & Sko, a clothing and footwear retailer, was also founded in 1981. The stores were closed in 2012.

Dansk Supermarked also launched in 1987 another non-food retailer A-Z. However, by 2014, these A-Z stores had been rebranded to Bilka.

Mærsk sells its stake back to Salling

[edit]

As of January 2014, the company was 81% owned by F. Salling Invest A/S and F. Salling Holding A/S (known as the Salling Companies) and 19% owned by A.P. Moller-Maersk Group. On 7 January 2014, A.P. Møller - Mærsk A/S announced that it was selling a 48.68% stake in Dansk Supermarked back to F. Salling Invest A/S and F. Salling Holding A/S (jointly the "Salling Companies"), with an option to buy back the remaining 19% stake in 2019. The remaining stake was bought earlier than expected at the end of 2017.[7][8]

Relaunch of BR toy store chain

[edit]

On January 17, 2019, Salling Group announced the acquisition of some parts of Top-Toy, the bankrupt company behind the toy chains BR and Toys "R" Us in Denmark.[9] The agreement included Top-Toy's entire Danish inventory and the rights to the BR name and brands for a future 25 new stores. Salling Group's CEO, Per Bank, called the deal a "strategically important agreement" that would ensure that Danes could still buy toys in physical stores across the country. However, no decision was made regarding the long-term future of the BR brand. The acquisition did not include Top-Toy's stores or employees, but Salling Group did have 1,500 open positions. Of those, approximately 1,000 were in Denmark, and 60% of those were aimed at young people under 18 or were student positions.[10]

Purchase of Rimi Baltic

[edit]

Swedish group ICA Gruppen and Salling Group have agreed on a sale price of retailer Rimi Baltic of 1.3 billion euros, excluding debts, company representatives told the media on March 5, 2025.[11][12][13] The European Commission approved the deal on 5 May 2025, with transfer expected to be completed by June 2025.[14] Transaction completed in June 2, 2025.[15]

Campaigns

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Mini Market

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The Mini Market (in Danish: Mini Marked) campaign was a largely successful campaign done by Salling Group in the summer of 2019. The campaign revolved around miniature toys shaped and designed like grocery products, such as a toothpaste bottle, a carton of eggs or a deodorant. Customers would receive one of the toys if they purchased more than 100 kr. worth of groceries in a Salling, Føtex or Bilka store. Along with the toys was a collection binder that customers could purchase at stores. It was expected that the toys would be sold until July 4; however, because of the popularity, the expected end date was moved to June 27.[16]

The campaign also received criticism. Throughout the campaign, they received complaints because of the large amounts of plastic they were producing. In response, the press manager for Salling Group, Mads Hvitved Grand, stated that the toys' intention for a long period of use was best met with plastic, and that the company wanted to promote playing with physical toys instead of sitting in front of a screen.[17]

Current operations

[edit]

Salling Group is Denmark's largest retailer, with a 34.9% market share.

Current stores and restaurants as of 31 December 2022:[1]

Name Stores Type
Netto Denmark 520 discount supermarket
Netto Germany 342 discount supermarket
Netto Poland 663 discount supermarket
Bilka 19 hypermarket (superstore)
føtex and føtex food 109 grocery store
Salling 2 department store
BR 29 toy store
Starbucks 14 coffee shop
Carl's Jr. 16 fast-food restaurant
Basalt 10 discount store

Former operations

[edit]

Former stores in Denmark

[edit]
Name Stores Type
A-Z 6 non-food shop
Tøj & Sko 37 clothing and footwear stores

Former stores outside Denmark

[edit]
Name Stores Type
Netto Sweden 163 discount supermarket
Netto UK 209 discount supermarket

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Salling Group

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from Grokipedia
Salling Group is 's largest retailing group, operating over 2,100 stores and serving 15 million customers per week through a diverse portfolio of grocery stores, department stores, webshops, coffee shops, restaurants, and meal box services. Founded on the legacy of the Salling family, the company has grown into 's leading retailer since its modern structure under the Salling Foundations, which have owned it 100% since 2012 and donated DKK 2.3 billion to , culture, sports, and social initiatives. Key chains include Netto and for groceries in , Bilka for hypermarkets, and , acquired in 2025, adding 314 stores in , , and . The group employs 68,000 people and extends its operations to , , and the , focusing on affordable everyday products ranging from and hardware to home furnishings and beverages. In recent years, Salling Group has emphasized , committing to , healthier food options, and collaborations with stakeholders to reduce environmental impact across its supply chain. Notable partnerships include sponsorships with since 2024 and Team Denmark since 2009, underscoring its role in supporting national sports and . With a of around 34% in , the company continues to innovate in retail, blending physical and digital channels to meet evolving consumer needs.

Overview

Company profile

Salling Group A/S is Denmark's leading retail conglomerate, specializing in grocery and general merchandise. Its origins trace back to 1906, when Ferdinand Salling established a small draper's shop in , . The was formally incorporated in 1956 by Herman Salling, Ferdinand's son, marking the beginning of its expansion into modern retailing. Headquartered in , , Salling Group employs approximately 68,000 people as of 2025 and operates over 2,100 stores across , including recent additions from the 2025 acquisition of 314 Rimi stores in the . The company's core business model encompasses a diverse portfolio of hypermarkets (such as ), supermarkets (), discount stores (Netto), and franchises including coffee shops and restaurants, alongside online webshops and department stores. This integrated approach serves around 15 million customers weekly, emphasizing everyday essentials and convenience. In 2023, Salling Group reported revenue of 70.26 billion DKK, reflecting its dominant position with a 34.9% market share in the Danish grocery retail sector as of 2025. The group achieved further growth in 2024, reaching 72.2 billion DKK in revenue despite ongoing inflation pressures, driven by store expansions and market share gains in all months of the year. These figures underscore Salling Group's scale as the largest retailer in Denmark, with operations extending to Germany, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

Ownership and governance

Salling Group is a (A/S) fully owned by the Salling Foundations since 2017, comprising Købmand Herman Salling’s Foundation and Købmand Ferdinand Salling’s Memorial Foundation. This structure ensures that all profits are directed toward sustaining the company's operations and funding philanthropic initiatives, reflecting the founders' vision of combining commercial success with societal benefit. The Salling Foundations play a central philanthropic role, annually distributing funds to support education, health, culture, arts, sports, and charitable causes across to enhance everyday life and community welfare. For instance, in 2024, the foundations granted 226 million DKK through 221 donations, contributing to a cumulative total of 2.3 billion DKK since 2012. This ownership model underscores a commitment to long-term stability and social impact over short-term shareholder returns. Governance is managed through a that includes members with extensive international private-sector experience alongside employee representatives, ensuring balanced oversight. The board is chaired by Bjørn Gulden, with key committees such as the Sustainability Committee—chaired by Gulden and including CEO Anders Hagh—guiding strategic decisions on environmental and social commitments. In 2018, the company rebranded from Dansk Supermarked A/S to Salling Group A/S to honor its heritage and emphasize foundation ownership. The executive leadership, headed by CEO Anders Hagh as of 2025, collaborates with the board to integrate into core operations, such as through the Aspire28 strategy focusing on growth and responsibility. This full foundation control was established in 2017 following earlier partial acquisitions from external stakeholders.

History

Founding and early expansion

The Salling Group's origins trace back to 1906, when Ferdinand Salling established a small draper's shop in , Denmark, specializing in textiles and general merchandise. This modest beginning laid the foundation for what would become a major retail enterprise, with the shop gradually expanding its offerings and operations in the local market. In 1948, the first Salling department store opened in Aarhus, marking a shift toward larger-scale retailing of textiles, clothing, and household goods. After Ferdinand's death in 1953, his son Herman Salling took over the business and drove significant further expansion. Herman continued this growth by establishing Jysk Supermarked in 1960, an initiative aimed at developing modern retail chains, which later evolved into Dansk Supermarked A/S through a 1964 partnership with the A.P. Møller–Mærsk Group. That same year, Herman launched Føtex, Denmark's first supermarket, in Aarhus on Guldsmedgade, introducing self-service shopping and broadening the focus to include groceries alongside non-food items. By the 1960s, the department store chain had expanded to multiple locations, including a major opening in in 1964, establishing a presence in key cities and solidifying the company's regional footprint. This period represented a pivotal transition from an initial emphasis on textiles and general merchandise to incorporating groceries, setting the stage for diversified retail operations while maintaining a commitment to innovative store concepts.

Development of key chains

In 1970, the Salling Group launched , Denmark's first and discount department store, located in Tilst near . The opening drew significant public interest, introducing a new retail format that combined groceries, household goods, and clothing under one roof at competitive prices. Building on its early department store foundations from the mid-20th century, the company shifted toward discount models to meet evolving consumer demands for convenience and value. In 1981, it introduced the Netto chain, Denmark's pioneering discount supermarket, with the inaugural store opening in Copenhagen's Godthåbsvej area. Netto emphasized low-cost everyday essentials, operating on a no-frills model that quickly gained traction among price-sensitive shoppers. The supermarket chain, established in as Denmark's first grocery format, saw sustained growth during the and as the company adapted to increasing and family shopping patterns. This period marked a consolidation of as a versatile retailer offering both food and non-food items, with stores expanding into suburban and urban locations nationwide. A key partnership with , which began in 1964 with a 50% stake in the predecessor , was deepened in 1982 when Maersk increased its ownership to 68% in the renamed Dansk Supermarked. This collaboration provided capital for domestic infrastructure and supported the scaling of discount operations. In 1999, Herman Salling retired after leading the company for decades. Bilka's domestic expansion served as a milestone, growing from its single 1970 location to multiple stores by the 1990s, solidifying the hypermarket's role in regional markets like and . Overall, these developments positioned the Salling Group as a leader in Denmark's shift toward modern, efficient retail chains.

Ownership changes and international growth

In the late and early , the partnership between Dansk Supermarked (now Group) and A.P. Møller–Mærsk A/S, which held a majority stake since , facilitated strategic decisions aimed at international expansion, leveraging Maersk's global expertise to support cross-border operations. Herman Salling passed away in 2006, shortly after his 60-year anniversary with the company. The discount chain Netto, a core brand of the group, marked its entry into international markets in the 1990s with launches in Germany and the United Kingdom in 1990, followed by Poland in 1995, where the first store opened in Szczecin. Expansion continued into Sweden in 2002 with the opening of the first Netto store there, establishing a presence in Northern Europe through low-cost, high-volume retail formats tailored to local markets. Ownership dynamics shifted significantly in the 2010s as A.P. Møller–Mærsk sought to refocus on core shipping and energy sectors; in January 2014, it sold a 48.68% stake in Dansk Supermarked to the , reducing its holding to 19% while the Salling family increased control to 81%. This transaction, valued at approximately 17 billion Danish kroner, allowed the Salling family greater autonomy in steering international initiatives. By November 2017, the acquired the remaining 19% stake, regaining full ownership and ending the five-decade partnership with . Under renewed family control, Salling Group pursued diversification beyond groceries; in early 2019, it acquired the , inventory, and brand rights to the Danish toy retailer from the bankrupt Top-Toy Group, reopening 25 stores later that year to integrate toy retail into its portfolio. This move complemented ongoing international efforts, including preliminary explorations into the to assess growth opportunities in , , and during the late .

Rebranding and recent acquisitions

In June 2018, Dansk Supermarked A/S rebranded to Group A/S, honoring its founders and Herman Salling while unifying the under the ownership of the . This change marked a shift toward a more cohesive branding strategy for its diverse retail operations, emphasizing Danish roots and foundation-led . Following the rebranding, Salling Group divested certain international assets to focus on core markets. In 2019, it sold its Netto chain in Sweden, consisting of 163 stores, to Coop Butiker & Stormarknader AB (Coop Sweden). Earlier, the group's brief re-entry into the UK market via a 2014 joint venture with Sainsbury's ended in 2016 with the closure of all 16 Netto stores in northern England. In 2024, Salling Group introduced its ASPIRE '28 , targeting DKK 100 billion in annual by 2028 through accelerated growth, including store expansions, in existing and new markets, alongside a new innovation fund. The emphasizes , such as AI-enabled cloud migration and next-generation operations via a partnership with , and to meet evolving customer needs responsibly. The strategy guided key 2025 acquisitions. In May, Salling Group purchased 33 supermarkets from Coop Danmark A/S, encompassing 31 existing stores under brands like 365discount and Kvickly, plus two development sites, enhancing its domestic footprint. In June, it acquired from AB for €1.3 billion, integrating 314 stores across , , and to bolster Northern European presence. In September 2025, Salling Group announced an initiative to equip 50 stores—spanning , , and Netto—with emergency capabilities by 2028, enabling independent operation for at least two days during crises without external power or supplies, as part of broader resilience efforts.

Operations

Danish retail chains

Salling Group's primary Danish retail operations encompass a diverse portfolio of formats tailored to different customer needs, ranging from large-scale hypermarkets to discount outlets and specialty stores. As of August 2025, the group operates 743 stores in across its core brands, focusing on groceries, general merchandise, and leisure products. These chains emphasize affordability, quality, and convenience, serving millions of weekly customers in the domestic market. Bilka represents the largest format within Salling Group's Danish portfolio, consisting of 19 hypermarkets that function as discount department stores combining extensive grocery sections with non-food offerings such as clothing, electronics, and home goods. Each Bilka store typically spans over 10,000 square meters, providing Denmark's widest product selections at competitive prices to attract families and bulk shoppers. Føtex operates 118 supermarkets, including variants like Food and City, positioned as high-quality outlets for everyday essentials. These stores offer a balanced assortment of groceries, non-food items, and textiles, catering to urban and suburban consumers seeking and variety in a mid-sized format. Netto Denmark, the group's flagship discount chain, comprises 573 stores focused on low-priced basics and quality groceries, with a strong emphasis on private-label products like the organic ØGO brand. This format targets budget-conscious shoppers by prioritizing and in store design to keep operational costs down. The Salling department stores, limited to two flagship locations in and , specialize in , items, interiors, products, and premium foods from leading s. These modern venues serve as upscale shopping destinations, employing over 1,100 staff and integrating , bistros, and brand boutiques to enhance the overall experience. In 2019, Salling Group acquired the BR toy chain from the bankrupt Top-Toy, reopening and expanding it to 31 stores by 2025 as dedicated and leisure outlets. BR provides an engaging play-focused environment with a wide selection of toys, games, and children's products, appealing to families and complementing the group's broader retail ecosystem. In March 2025, Salling Group completed the acquisition of 33 stores from Coop Danmark, including 31 existing supermarkets under brands like 365discount, Kvickly, and SuperBrugsen, plus two development projects. These have been integrated and rebranded under existing Salling chains such as Netto and to strengthen market presence without altering the overall portfolio structure.

International operations

Salling Group's international operations encompass discount retail in and Poland through the Netto chain, as well as a diversified portfolio in the via . These activities represent a strategic expansion beyond , emphasizing localized adaptations to regional market dynamics and consumer behaviors as of 2025. In , Netto operates 341 discount stores concentrated in urban areas, particularly in the northeastern region, where the format prioritizes efficient, low-cost grocery provision to compete in densely populated locales. The chain's strategy focuses on streamlined operations and everyday low pricing to maintain accessibility in competitive city environments. Netto in comprises 687 stores, with significant growth achieved through the 2021 acquisition of 's network, which bolstered its footprint and logistics capabilities. The operations emphasize aggressive price competition in the discount segment, targeting expansion to 1,000 stores by 2028 amid a saturated market dominated by value-driven shoppers. This approach includes elements in select locations to offer broader assortments while upholding cost efficiency. Following the June 2025 acquisition of from , Salling Group manages 314 stores across , , and under four formats: Rimi Hypermarkets for large-scale shopping, Rimi Super for mid-sized supermarkets, Rimi Mini for compact urban outlets, and Rimi Express for convenience needs. In the Baltics, the strategy shifts toward a premium positioning relative to pure discount models, featuring quality-focused assortments, enhanced fresh produce selections, and value-oriented promotions to appeal to consumers seeking variety and sustainability.

Non-retail ventures

Salling Group has developed integrated platforms for its major chains, including , Føtex, and Netto, enabling customers to shop online with options for and click-and-collect services. Føtex launched its dedicated online store in late 2019, while and Netto expanded their digital offerings throughout the , incorporating app-based ordering to facilitate convenient grocery procurement. These platforms support a growing portion of the group's sales, with significant acceleration during the to meet heightened demand for contactless shopping. In the insurance sector, Salling Group operates Salling Group Company A/S, a regulated entity supervised by the Danish Financial Supervisory Authority under the Danish Financial Business Act, primarily handling internal and obligations. Established with foundational structures by 2009, the company has issued annual and financial condition reports since at least the early 2020s, focusing on compliance and rather than broad public product lines. While specific employee or customer products are not prominently detailed in public disclosures, the group maintains partnerships for extended and benefits, such as a 2024 agreement with PFA that enhances coverage for more staff members. Salling Group extends into food services through franchise operations, managing 14 Starbucks coffee shops and 16 Carl's Jr. fast-food outlets across Denmark, providing quick-service dining options integrated with its retail ecosystem. Additionally, the group tested Basalt as a casual dining and discount concept starting in 2022, operating up to 10 locations before winding down the trial in 2023 due to insufficient performance, though it briefly offered lower-priced meals and everyday essentials. These ventures complement the group's core retail presence by diversifying customer touchpoints beyond traditional grocery shopping. The company's logistics and supply chain operations are supported by an in-house network of 11 warehouses and distribution centers, which handle from over 7,000 suppliers and ensure efficient replenishment for more than 2,100 stores across multiple . Key facilities, such as the Netto distribution center in , , process up to 3,600 cases per hour and manage storage for over 1,200 stock-keeping units, optimizing the flow of goods to maintain product availability and reduce operational costs. This infrastructure plays a critical role in enabling the group's scale, including seamless support for fulfillment. In 2025, Salling Group partnered with to advance its through AI-enabled cloud migration and next-generation operations, aligning with the company's "Aspire 28" strategy for enhanced agility across its 2,100 stores and 68,000 employees. The collaboration leverages TCS's Cloud Exponence solution to optimize hybrid cloud environments, automate processes, and integrate AI for better decision-making in and customer services. This initiative builds on prior digital efforts to position the group as a leader in retail technology innovation.

Sustainability and initiatives

Environmental and social programs

Salling Group has established ambitious climate commitments as part of its sustainability strategy, aiming to achieve net-zero CO2e emissions across its full value chain by 2050, in alignment with the (SBTi) Net Zero Standard. The company targets a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions from its own operations by 2030, alongside efforts to recycle 85% of waste and halve food waste during the same period. In , Salling Group implemented a initiative starting in 2023, equipping approximately 250 stores in western to compact cardboard and on-site, thereby eliminating external disposal costs and generating from recycled materials. On the social front, Salling Group forged a landmark partnership with the (DBU) in 2024, marking the first collaboration between a Danish corporation and a national organization to advance equality, , and through joint programs. This initiative focuses on promoting equal opportunities, physical and mental health, and educational access, particularly for youth and vulnerable communities. The company's food waste programs emphasize donations and redistribution, partnering with organizations like and MadPlus to redirect surplus food from stores to socially vulnerable families and charities. These efforts have reduced food waste as a of from 2.8% in 2015 (baseline) to 1.8% in 2024, with a goal to halve it by 2030 through precise ordering, price reductions on near-expiry items, and systematic collaborations. For biodiversity, Salling Group pursues sustainable sourcing by targeting 100% third-party certification for its own-brand products containing 40% or more animal protein or 5% or more soy by 2025, while actively campaigning against deforestation via the Danish Soy Alliance to ensure responsible soy production. These measures support broader ecosystem protection and ethical supply chains.

Innovation and investment funds

Salling Group's Aspire '28 , launched in 2024, outlines a comprehensive plan for accelerating growth through technological advancements, including the integration of (AI), , and enhancements to across its retail operations. This emphasizes innovation as a core pillar, aiming to position the group as a leader in within the European retail sector by investing in scalable solutions that improve efficiency and . A key component of Aspire '28 is the Salling Seeds venture capital fund, established in autumn 2024 with an allocation of 500 million DKK (approximately €67 million). The fund targets startups and scale-ups in retail technology, supply chain optimization, and , with investments ranging from 5 to 25 million DKK per round, operating as an structure to support long-term value creation. Applications for funding opened in August 2025, inviting international pitches focused on innovations that align with Group's operations, particularly those demonstrating scalability in food retail and . To advance its innovation agenda, Salling Group has formed strategic partnerships emphasizing digital and AI capabilities. In June 2025, it entered a long-term agreement with to facilitate AI-enabled cloud migration, next-generation cloud operations, and broader across 2,100 stores and 68,000 employees in , , , , , and . Complementing this, in August 2025, Salling Group signed a five-year deal with Visual Art for 7,500 licenses, enabling enhanced in-store retail media, technical migration, and integration to boost through advanced digital displays. Salling Group's research and development efforts prioritize practical innovations in and digital checkout systems, aligning with broader environmental goals. In 2019, the group committed to reducing plastic use by 30% and ensuring 100% recyclable own-brand by 2023 through initiatives exploring reusable and minimized materials. In digital advancements, subsidiaries like have piloted AiFi-powered autonomous stores since October 2024, offering 24/7 checkout-free shopping to streamline customer experiences and reduce operational costs. These efforts underscore an focus on solutions that scale effectively within food retail ecosystems, fostering both technological and sustainable progress.

Former operations

Discontinued Danish chains

In the early , Salling Group (then operating as Dansk Supermarked) discontinued its Tøj & Sko chain, a and retailer with 37 stores across . The decision followed several years of declining and customer footfall, as part of a broader to refocus on core grocery and discount operations. All stores were closed by the end of 2012, resulting in approximately 340 job losses. Another discontinued format was DøgnNetto, a 24-hour extension of the Netto discount chain launched in the to capture late-night . In 2016, all 39 DøgnNetto stores were shuttered and repurposed, with most converted into standard Netto supermarkets or smaller Food outlets following renovations. This move aimed to streamline operations and enhance efficiency within the discount segment amid shifting consumer habits toward daytime . More recently, in 2023, Salling Group ended its experimental discount chain after a short trial period, closing six of the ten stores and converting four to Netto supermarkets. Launched in late 2022 as a low-price grocery format offering at 15-20% below typical discount levels, Basalt was discontinued due to lack of consumer appeal for its fixed ultra-low pricing model, evolving market demands, and an improving economic outlook that reduced the need for such extreme discounting. The closures in July 2023 allowed resources to be redirected toward established chains like Netto. These discontinuations reflect Salling Group's strategy since the post-Maersk ownership era (after 2017) to consolidate its Danish portfolio around high-performing grocery and discount formats, phasing out underperforming or niche concepts to improve overall profitability and market focus.

Exited international markets

In 2010, Salling Group sold its UK operations under the Netto brand, consisting of 193 discount grocery stores, to for £778 million amid competitive pressures in the British market. The transaction allowed to expand its footprint by rebranding 146 of the acquired stores while divesting the remaining 47 to competitors such as to address antitrust concerns. This marked Salling Group's initial withdrawal from the , where Netto had operated since 2004 but struggled against established discounters like and . Salling Group briefly re-entered the UK market in 2014 through a 50:50 with , launching 16 smaller Netto stores primarily in as a £25 million experiment to test discount formats. However, the venture faced profitability issues due to suboptimal trading performance, high expansion costs, and shifting consumer preferences toward larger supermarkets. In 2016, terminated the partnership, leading to the closure of all 16 stores and the loss of approximately 400 jobs, effectively ending Salling Group's presence in the UK once more. In Sweden, Salling Group operated 163 Netto stores until 2019, when it divested the entire chain to Coop Butiker & Stormarknader AB (part of Coop Sweden) for approximately DKK 969 million. The sale was driven by a strategic decision to streamline operations and prioritize more profitable core markets in Denmark, Germany, and Poland, where Salling Group could achieve greater economies of scale. Following the divestment, Coop rebranded the stores under its own discount banner, with no ongoing licensing or partnership arrangements reported between Salling Group and the new owner. These exits aligned with a broader refocus following the 2017 ownership transition, when the Salling Foundations acquired full control of the group from A.P. Møller-Mærsk, enabling a concentration of resources on high-growth European regions rather than peripheral markets. The moves contributed to improved financial performance, including and operating margins in subsequent years, by reducing exposure to underperforming international segments.

References

  1. https://sallinggroup.com/en
  2. https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/4166777Z:DC
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  4. https://sallinggroup.com/en/about-us/history
  5. https://www.headstartcareer.dk/company/salling-group
  6. https://www.esmmagazine.com/retail/salling-group-reports-growth-in-revenue-and-profit-in-fy-2024-287292
  7. https://apps.fas.usda.gov/newgainapi/api/Report/DownloadReportByFileName?fileName=Retail%2BFoods%2BAnnual_The%2BHague_Denmark_DA2025-0002.pdf
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  9. https://sallinggroup.com/en/about-us/salling-foundations
  10. https://sallinggroup.com/en/about-us/board
  11. https://sallinggroup.com/en/esg/governance
  12. https://www.esmmagazine.com/retail/dansk-supermarked-changes-name-sailing-group-59790
  13. https://sallinggroup.com/en/about-us/management
  14. https://myaalborg.com/plenty-of-christmas-cheer-salling-holds-huge-christmas-party-this-weekend/
  15. https://www.maersk.com/news/articles/2019/05/21/maersk-and-the-art-of-reinventing-oneself
  16. https://investor.maersk.com/news-releases/news-release-details/ap-moller-maersk-sale-shares-dansk-supermarked-and-f-salling
  17. https://www.esmmagazine.com/retail/moller-maersk-sells-stake-dansk-supermarked-group-51509
  18. https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/AP-MOLLER-MAERSK-1412885/news/F-Salling-Holding-A-S-and-F-Salling-Invest-A-S-completed-the-acquisition-of-remaining-19-stake-in-34886153/
  19. https://toyworldmag.co.uk/reports-indicate-top-toy-has-secured-a-buyer-for-cousin-br/
  20. https://www.nordicpropertynews.com/article/2381/salling-group-to-open-25-new-br-stores
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