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Mazumtirdzniecība un patēriņa preces

Retail trade and consumer products industry includes trade of many daily consumption products: food, textile, furniture, tobacco products etc. Retail trade and consumer products is one of the most developing and biggest areas of economy in all three Baltic States. Increasing purchasing power of people and conquering of internal market has influence to retail trade. Competition in the retail market is extremely high, possibilities of extending market are quite limited. Therefore, it’s not easy for market players to attract clients and they have to search for new means to increase their income. There is also competition on the three countries level: the main and the biggest player of the retail market Lithuanian company VP Market actively penetrated into Latvian market and took the leader positions, they also invest in Estonia and other Central and Eastern European countries.

The retail market is constantly concentrating. Kesko Food, part of the Kesko concern, and RIMI Baltic, managed by ICA concern and having RIMI shopping centres in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, have united their activities in the Baltic States. Lithuanian retail chain IKI is also expanding rather intensively: they have agreed with Casino Group on establishing of low-price retail network Leader Price in the Baltic States. Norfos mažmena is an active competitor in the Lithuanian market. Despite the extremely high competition in the retail market, new big international players, such as LIDL, are coming to Lithuania and Estonia.

Other tendencies of this business area include growth of electronic commerce, changes of consumer habits, interest in brands. These factors force market players to adjust their business to changing consumer habits.

One of the main resources of this area remains increasing consumption, which is also stimulated by increasing amount of the bank consumer loans enabling people to buy more long-term consumption products.

Some of the biggest and most important companies in this area are:

• Retail trade companies VP Market (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia), Palink (IKI) (Lithuania), Rimi Baltic (Rimi Lietuva, Rimi Latvija, Rimi Eesti), Norfos mažmena, Aibė (Lithuania), Tallinna Kaubamaja, Prisma Peremarket, Stockmann (Estonia), Mego Nelda (Latvia), Drogas (Latvia, Lithuania), LIDL (Lithuania);
• Construction and maintenance materials wholesale and retail companies Senukų prekybos centras, Iris (Lithuania), Famar-Desi (Estonia), Reaton (Latvia);
• Wholesale companies Sanitex, MG Baltic, Unilever (Lithuania), Greis, Polimer R (Latvia), Kaupmees & Ko, S-Marten, Kesko Eesti (Estonia);
• Clothes retail trade companies Apranga (Lithuania), Baltika (Estonia);

Experience

The lawyers of the Baltic Legal Solutions have extensive experience in provision of legal services in the field of retail trade and consumer products, some of them having previous experience as corporate counsels of retail traders. This enabled the lawyers of the Baltic practices to acquire deep knowledge of the specific legal regulations of this sector and to be able to propose the solutions tailored to the specific needs of the clients’ businesses. 

Our legal teams have extensive experience in various retail and consumer product sector development projects, including construction, lease and acquisition of shopping centres. Our lawyers also provide various services to both producers and salesmen of specific consumer products, such as requirements applicable to specific products, labelling and electronic trade.

Among other projects the credentials of lawyers of Baltic Legal Solutions include:

• Provision of legal services to one of the largest international retail market chains in number of projects related to development of new shopping centres, including construction, design, lease, acquisition, as well as rendering various consultations related to activities of the shopping centres;
• Advice on labelling to one of the world’s largest manufacturers of sportswear and sport equipment.
• Advisors in the project for development and evaluation of a merger of supermarket chains from tax and financial aspects;
• Legal assistance in drafting and negotiating wholesale and distribution agreements;
• Legal assistance and advice on various competition law issues related to wholesale and retail trade, including representing against the Competition Supervision Authorities or in court disputes with regard to investigations on abuse of a dominant position or unfair competition cases;
• Legal counsel to one of the largest international retail market players in relation to obtaining funding for development form the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD);
• Legal counsel to one of the leading catalogue operators in the world regarding consumer product sale by post.

Links and sources:

Lietuvos Statistikos departamentas www.std.lt
Centrālā statistikas pārvalde www.csb.lv
Statistikaamet www.stat.ee
Baltic Business News. Latvian Companies TOP 50 www.balticbusinessnews.com/mod/onl_news.pl?disp=top&file=Latvian_TOP_50.html
Top 500 Companies in Latvia www.konsult.lv/top500.php
Baltic Business News. Lithuanian Companies TOP 100 www.balticbusinessnews.com/mod/onl_news.pl?disp=top&file=LithuaniaTOP100.html
Baltic Business News. Estonian Companies TOP 50 www.balticbusinessnews.com/mod/onl_news.pl?disp=top&file=Est_TOP_50.html
NASDAQ OMX Vilnius www.nasdaqomxbaltic.com
NASDAQ OMX Riga www.nasdaqomxbaltic.com
NASDAQ OMX Tallinn www.nasdaqomxbaltic.com
International Chamber of Commerce Lietuva www.tprl.lt
Eesti Kaubandus-Tööstuskoda www.koda.ee
Lietuvos Respublikos Ūkio ministerija www.ukmin.lt
Latvijas Respublikas Ekonomikas ministerija www.em.gov.lv
Eesti Majandus– ja Kommunikatsiooniministeerium www.mkm.ee
Verslo žinios www.vz.lt
Dienas Bizness www.db.lv
Äripäev www.aripaev.ee
Lietuvos makroekonomikos apžvalga www.seb.lt/pdf/lt/lma22.pdf