SPAR Austria has agreed to acquire 23 Unimarkt outlets.
The financial terms of the transaction have not been revealed and are subject to approval by the competition authorities.
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The purchase agreement covers 11 stores in Styria, five in Upper Austria, four in Lower Austria, two in Salzburg and one in Burgenland.
All will transfer to SPAR Austria once regulatory clearance has been granted.
All staff members at the impacted Unimarkt branches are to be retained.
SPAR Austria CEO Hans K Reisch stated: “For over 70 years, SPAR Austria has been a reliable wholesale partner to independent retailers. SPAR was therefore the preferred partner of Unimarkt franchisees.
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By GlobalData“We are delighted to make our long-standing experience and expertise available to future SPAR retailers and to continue guaranteeing local supply in many towns and villages with the takeover of 23 Unimarkt stores.”
The deal, negotiated by SPAR Austria board member Marcus Wild, provides for almost all of the acquired stores to be run by independent SPAR retailers.
SPAR Austria intends to bring as many existing Unimarkt franchise partners as possible into its independent retail structure with the stated goal of supporting employment continuity and safeguarding local grocery provision.
Unimarkt managing director Andreas Hämmerle added: “It was important to us that as many Unimarkt stores as possible remain at their current locations. Our franchisees are in good hands with SPAR Austria.”
In July 2025, SPAR Austria trialled Simbe Robotics’ Tally inventory robot at a EUROSPAR outlet in Vienna and an INTERSPAR hypermarket in Eisenstadt over a five‑month period.
The pilot formed part of the retailer’s efforts to enhance stock control and the in‑store experience for customers.
SPAR traces its roots in Austria back to 1954.
The present‑day SPAR was established in 1970 when the founding families combined their operations with other regional wholesale businesses to form SPAR Austria, which continues to be a 100% privately owned Austrian company.
