Slovenia flag Slovenia: Buying and Selling

The distribution network in Slovenia

Evolution of the Sector
Several distribution channels are open to foreign goods in the marketplace, including wholesaling and retailing, as well as franchising, joint ventures, and licensing. There are a large number of merchants, agents, intermediaries, wholesalers, and retailers available in Slovenia.  Any firm may carry out both foreign and domestic trade.

Trade (retail, distribution) is one of the most dynamic economic activities in Slovenia contributing one third of the total economy sales and employing 19% of the labor force within the economy sector. During the last decade this industry went through a number of changes: high consolidation (a few market players owning the great majority of the market), quick emerging of hypermarkets and malls and hard discount stores in the last couple of years, increase of competition, new sales and information chanels (leaflets, catalogues, Internet), increase of negotiating power towards (domestic) producers and vertical linking with them, expansion of domestic players to the ex-Yugoslavia region, expansion of retail trade brands, development of customer loyalty programs.
The trade development influenced very positively also to a number of other industries: food and drinks, construction, transport, financial, marketing and others.

Slovenia’s major distribution centers are located in Brnik and Koper.  The port of Koper is Slovenia’s only seaport and is located in the western part of the country on the Adriatic Sea. Smaller distribution centers can also be found in major cities such as Ljubljana and Maribor, Slovenia’s second largest city.
Market share
Slovenian consumers are increasingly shopping at discount stores and supermarkets, leading to sales growth for industry players. In Slovenia, discounters are very popular and have a large market share.
Major industry actors include:

In other segments of the mass retail sector, Spar and Mercator are major market players. The national mass retailer Tus is losing ground, due in particular to financial problems.

Retail Sector Organisations
Slovenian Chamber of Commerce
Slovenian-American Business Association
Ministry of Economic Development and Technology

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Latest Update: March 2024

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