Eurocash: 1,779 fewer stores despite new franchise sign-ups

The number of stores affiliated with Eurocash fell by 1,779 year on year, even though more than 400 stores joined four of the group’s networks in the first half of 2026. This is an important distinction for the franchise sector: the rate at which stores join and the change in the network’s overall size measure two different things. At the same time, the group is reducing its directly operated estate and handing stores over to independent business owners.

A smaller network year on year

According to figures reported on 28 October by WP Finanse, citing dlahandlu.pl, Eurocash had 13,763 locations at the end of Q2 2026, compared with 15,542 a year earlier. The difference of 1,779 outlets shows that the overall network shrank despite the addition of more stores.

These figures should not, however, be interpreted as evidence that 1,779 stores closed. A decline in the number of outlets listed by the group is not, in itself, a tally of physical store closures. The figures show a change in the size of the network but do not break down the causes into closures, departures by business owners or other organisational changes.

This caveat also matters when assessing announcements about expansion. The number of stores joining reflects recruitment activity, while comparing the total at the end of two periods shows the net effect of all changes. Looking at both measures helps avoid equating new agreements with automatic growth across the organisation.

The 400-plus sign-ups cover only part of the business

In the first half of 2026, more than 400 new stores joined the ABC, Groszek, Euro Sklep and Delikatesy Centrum networks. This figure excludes growth at Gama and Lewiatan, as well as company-owned stores handed over to franchisees. It is therefore not a comprehensive account of all changes across the group’s brands.

Of the new partners, 30% were business owners who had previously operated within other franchise networks. The remaining 70% were independent retailers and existing franchisees opening additional stores. Joining Eurocash does not, therefore, necessarily mean adding an entirely new retail outlet in Poland: it may involve an existing business changing its branding or partnership arrangements.

For the franchise sector, these represent different routes to growth. Bringing an independent store into a network requires different preparation from switching franchise partners or opening an additional outlet. The combined sign-up figure does not show the scale of each process separately.

Nor should the 400-plus sign-ups simply be subtracted from the annual decline in locations. The first figure covers six months and four brands; the second compares the entire group’s store count year on year. Both the periods and the scope differ.

A store handover is not a new opening

A separate part of the transformation involves changes to who operates Delikatesy Centrum stores. According to information released in October, Eurocash had already handed over 103 company-owned stores under this brand to franchisees. That total had increased by more than 30 since the end of July. WP Finanse reported that the project was progressing faster than originally planned.

Under this model, a local business owner takes responsibility for the day-to-day running of the store, while Eurocash remains the partner providing supplies and business support. This is how Arkadiusz Faliszewski, the group’s project lead, described the division of responsibilities. What changes is responsibility for operating the outlet, not necessarily its address or its membership of the network.

Handing an existing store over to a franchisee should be distinguished from opening a new location. It can increase the proportion of partner-operated stores without increasing the number of outlets trading under a particular brand. The results of the handover programme are therefore consistent with a decline in Eurocash’s overall store count.

Information published by Echo Dnia also indicates that the group expects to phase out its remaining directly operated stores in December 2026. This signals a further change in the operating model, rather than confirming that the process is complete.

What to check beyond network size

Eurocash links its transformation to an overhaul of its logistics infrastructure and a focus on serving franchise stores. The plan for the new business model runs until the end of 2027. The group’s targets include PLN 400 million in savings and PLN 600 million in operating profit (EBIT) in 2027. These are company targets, not results already achieved or forecasts of an individual partner’s earnings.

For a business owner considering a partnership, network size remains useful information, but it is no substitute for assessing a specific store. It is worth separating the figures for new sign-ups, changes of operator and total locations, then asking about supply terms, costs and the scope of support available.

Practical takeaway: before committing to a franchise, ask for figures from comparable outlets and a financial assessment of your own store. The number of new partners does not, on its own, establish either growth across the network or the profitability of a particular location.