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The Rewe Group does not want to offer any range of “atypical” products for sale in the second lock.
Austria is about to enter the second lockdown. Trade in non-essential products must be closed. As in spring, the supermarkets will remain open.
Solidarity for merchants who have to close
Out of solidarity, the Rewe Group, which also includes Billa and Merkur, will reduce its range of products from Tuesday. “We have a very clear point of view here: we do not want to make sales at the expense of distributors who have to close again in the second lockdown”, emphasizes Marcel Haraszti, CEO of REWE International AG.
“So, of course, we will only offer product groups typical of the food trade. Staying together in trade is now a matter of business decency. We also ask our colleagues in the food trade to follow this path.”
No flowers or toys offered
This means that at Merkur, Billa and Co. only food, sanitary ware and pet food can be found in the range during closure. Other products such as flowers, clothing, appliances, toys are not for sale at Rewe. In the first confinement there were discussions of delimitation in this regard.
The current ordinance and its comments provide clear guidelines that food, sanitary ware and feed can only be offered in the food trade. Other goods such as flowers, clothing, appliances, toys are not covered by the exemption from the entry ban, so as not to harm the companies affected by the closure.
“For all of us who work in the retail sector, the Christmas business is by far the most important time of the year. And it cannot be that we as grocery retailers are now taking sales away from our colleagues in the industry who later they can no longer compensate during the Christmas business, “Haraszti said.
