Spar and Mercator: 48 and 125 franchise stores respectively

Spar had 48 franchise stores in Slovenia at the end of 2025, while Mercator had 125, the Slovenian newspaper Dnevnik reported on 8 September 2026. Alongside the news that Spar had become the country’s largest retailer, the key point for those interested in franchising in Slovenia is the composition of the two networks: a retailer’s overall size and its number of franchise outlets are not the same thing.

Two networks with different numbers of franchise outlets

According to the figures cited by Dnevnik, Spar had 113 Spar and Interspar stores in Slovenia at the end of 2025, alongside 48 franchise stores and eight Interspar restaurants. Mercator ended the same period with 412 retail outlets, nine wholesale outlets and 125 franchise stores.

When reading these figures, it is important to keep the categories separate. Restaurants are not shops, and wholesale outlets are not directly comparable with stores serving consumers. Franchise outlets are also listed separately in the report, so it makes sense to compare them with one another first.

This comparison shows that Mercator had 77 more franchise stores than Spar at the end of 2025. Its reported total was approximately 2.6 times Spar’s. This is a calculation based on published outlet numbers, not a comparison of their sales, floor space or performance.

This distinction helps put the headline news about the change at the top of Slovenia’s retail market into perspective. A company’s overall ranking does not, in itself, tell us which retailer has the larger franchise network.

Mercator also reduced its number of franchise stores

Dnevnik also provides comparable figures for Mercator for the previous year. Its number of franchise stores fell from 128 at the end of 2024 to 125 at the end of 2025. That represents three fewer stores, or a decline of approximately 2.3%.

Over the same period, its number of retail outlets fell from 450 to 412, a reduction of 38 outlets, or approximately 8.4%. Its number of wholesale outlets dropped from 13 to nine, a reduction of four.

Of the categories listed, franchise stores therefore saw a smaller proportional decline than retail and wholesale outlets. This is an observation about changes in network size, not evidence of the profitability of any particular business model.

The published figures do not explain the reasons behind these changes. They therefore do not establish whether stores were closed, converted to a different operating model or affected by other changes to the network. Nor does the difference between two year-end totals reveal all the openings and closures that may have taken place during the year.

The report provides no comparable figure for Spar’s franchise store total at the end of 2024. It is therefore not possible to use these figures to calculate annual growth in its franchise network or compare the pace of change at the two retailers.

What the proportions reveal

Adding together each retailer’s separately reported stores or retail outlets and franchise stores provides another perspective on the composition of its network. This calculation excludes restaurants and wholesale outlets and follows the categories used in the report.

For Spar, the total is 161 outlets: 113 Spar and Interspar stores plus 48 franchise stores. Franchise stores account for approximately 29.8% of this total. For Mercator, adding 412 retail outlets and 125 franchise stores gives a total of 537, with franchise stores accounting for approximately 23.3%.

These are calculated shares of outlet numbers, not official market shares. They do not measure revenue, customer numbers, sales floor space or the reach of individual stores. They do, however, highlight a distinction that is less obvious from the absolute figures alone: Mercator has more franchise stores, but franchise stores make up a larger proportion of Spar’s network when calculated on this basis.

What prospective franchise partners should check

For anyone considering joining a retail franchise network in Slovenia, outlet numbers are a useful starting point, but not a sufficient basis for a decision. A larger number of stores does not, in itself, indicate better partnership terms, while a smaller number does not mean a poorer business opportunity.

Before deciding, prospective partners should obtain up-to-date information on available locations, the initial investment, contractual obligations, supply arrangements and partner support. The report discussed here does not set out these terms, nor does it confirm that either retailer is currently seeking new franchise partners.

Practical takeaway: when comparing Spar’s and Mercator’s franchise networks, distinguish outlet numbers from business performance. Use the published figures to prepare your questions, but base any decision on the current offer and financial projections for the specific store.