Poland: Dino overtook Biedronka's growth
- DRC Discount Retail Consulting GmbH
- May 19
- 3 min read
Discount Retail Chain Biedronka celebrates its 30th anniversary in Poland, still remaining the leader of the retail market. But behind it, it is becoming increasingly clear that there is growing competition in the form of the Dino Polska chain, which is rapidly increasing the number of stores, employment and investments. Data for the first quarter of 2025 show that Dino's growth rate is more than three times higher than that of the market leader.
Dino's sales with higher growth
In the first quarter of 2025, Biedronka generated EUR 5.95 billion in revenue, which is about PLN 26.4 billion (at the exchange rate of PLN 4.43/EUR). The year-on-year increase was 3.4%. At the same time, Dino generated PLN 7.4 billion in revenue, up 10.2% year on year. The Dino chain is chasing Biedronka. Over 2740 stores and PLN 7.4 billion in revenues in the first quarter
Although the difference in scale is still significant, Dino's growth rate is more than three times higher than that of the market leader. Dino records a large part of its revenue from the sale of fresh products, as much as 42%, thanks to its own processing plants, such as Agro-Rydzyna.
Owing to Dino's highly refined logistics network, based on its own distribution centres, approximately 5,000 different kinds of products, mostly fresh food and articles from well-known brands (including a full range of food products, households chemicals and cosmetics), always make it on time to all of its stores.
Number of stores: Dino is getting closer to Biedronka
Biedronka currently has over 3800 mainly rural stores and in the first quarter it opened 56 new stores (net: 50), additionally modernizing 27 of them. Dino already has 2746 stores, 308 more than a year ago, and is still opening more, mainly in medium-sized cities and smaller towns. Over the past three years, Dino has opened as many as 866 new stores (+46%). The supermarket's proximity format (soft-discount) makes the chain fit in with the changing shopping habits of Poles, as competition is focussing on larger catchment areas.
Employment and investments: Dino invests heavily
Dino already employs more than 51,600 people, and payroll costs in the first quarter exceeded PLN 1 billion, an increase of 22% year-on-year. Dino's capital expenditures in the first quarter of 2025 reached PLN 516 million, and for the full year they may reach PLN 1.8 billion, they include the development of the network, logistics and production. Dino is also investing in green energy, 94% of its stores have photovoltaic installations, and the company generated 15.2 GWh of solar energy in Q1, 47% more than a year earlier.
First quarter under scrutiny: Dino is accelerating, Eurocash is shrinking
The Jeronimo Martins Group, the owner of the Biedronka chain, will allocate a total of about EUR 1.1 billion for investments this year. More than half of this amount will be allocated to the development of Biedronka in Poland, including the opening of up to 150 new stores and the modernization of 250 to 275 locations.
Biedronka also started operations in Slovakia in March 2025, opening three stores and its first distribution center. By the end of 2026, it is planned to open at least 50 Biedronka stores in this country.
In Sokołów Małopolski (Podkarpackie Voivodeship), the construction of the Distribution Center of Jerónimo Martins, the owner of Biedronka, began in March. About 500 people will find work here.
Biedronka will also build a warehouse in Opoczno, in the Łódź Voivodeship, where about 400 people will ultimately be employed. The cost of the investment was estimated at PLN 350 million.
At the end of the first quarter of 2025, the Biedronka chain employed exactly 84,823 employees.
Challenges and strategies – costs are rising, consumers are cautious
Biedronka had to face an unfavourable calendar effect and a high comparative base, comparable sales (LfL) fell by 3.5%. The chain defended margins, m.in. through a "better mix of products" and cost discipline. EBITDA increased by 3.9%.Dino also felt the effect of the postponement of holidays and fewer trading days, LfL sales increased by only 0.5%. Despite this, it maintained a clear growth and expansion dynamics. Both chains operate in a difficult environment, rising labour costs, inflation and geopolitical uncertainty force careful planning. Dino focuses on local development and its own production facilities, while Biedronka focuses on scale and experience.
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