Pepco, the Polish rival of Primark and Ikea, is coming to Portugal. The first shop opens in Coimbra in May, but the goal is to reach more than 30 stores in the country in 2023. The retailer plans to hire more than 300 people.
The brand sells a wide variety of articles, from clothing and cosmetics to home products. The group operates more than 4,000 shops in 18 European countries, such as Spain, the Czech Republic, Hungary or Italy, having opened 105 spaces in the last three months and invoiced 1.65 billion, an increase of 27 percent compared to 2021, according to news reported in Portugal's Jornal de Negócios.
Pepco's goal is to set up in "Coimbra, Albufeira, Olhão, Elvas and Lisbon by the end of summer 2023". Jorge Barrie Ruiz, group operations manager for Portugal and Spain, told the publication that Porto is also "a clear bet" for the brand, where they hope to open a shop before October 2023.
The Pepco store that should open in Coimbra in the first half of 2023 will be larger than the usual shops. It will have 800 square metres (m2), where "more than 13 employees will work".