In December 2025, Italian food retailer Despar opened 25 new and renovated supermarkets across the country. With investments in the Despar Express, Despar, and Interspar formats, the company is strengthening local food supply and brick-and-mortar grocery retail in city centers and smaller communities in particular.
Growth of the Despar Express format
The Despar Express format recorded especially strong growth during the reporting month. New supermarkets in Genoa and San Severino Lucano cater to the needs of dynamic communities and are intended to offer "a fast, efficient shopping experience." In Piedmont, the Despar Express in Ferrere was reopened after a renovation featuring an integrated butcher counter, bolstering local food supply. In Strangolagalli, a new store rounds out the offering with a quality-focused selection of fresh products.
A regional focus was placed on Calabria, where new Express supermarkets opened in Grimaldi, Soveria Mannelli, Catanzaro Lido, San Nicola Arcella, Diamante, Stilo, San Demetrio Corone, and Mandatoriccio. According to the company, the product ranges were tailored specifically to the needs of the local population in each case.
New supermarkets opened across the country
In parallel, the classic Despar supermarket format continued to expand. In Trentino-Alto Adige a new store in Brixen and a renovated location in St. Ulrich (Ortisei) began operations. In Piedmont, a new supermarket opened in Vercelli. In Emilia-Romagna additional locations in Savignano sul Panaro, Budrio, and Bologna joined the network, offering customers a broad range of departments and services.
Growth also continued in central and southern Italy, with new openings in L'Aquila, Fiumefreddo Bruzio, and Lamezia Terme. In Sicily, the supermarkets in Adrano and San Teodoro were modernized, while on Sardinia the location in Posada was relaunched with a deliberate focus on the needs of the local community.
Interspar hypermarket in Eboli modernized
In Campania, the Interspar hypermarket in Eboli was reopened following a comprehensive redesign. The modernized concept places emphasis on sustainability, efficiency, fresh products, regional specialties, and expanded in-store services, according to the group in a recent press release.