Financial trouble for Real (Metro Group) in Poland

Real, the fourth biggest hypermarket chain in Poland, has failed to pay its suppliers on time. According to some producers, Real's debt amounts to several million zloty. Real – a subsidiary of German retailer Metro Group – explains that the problems connected with transferring money result from the company's consolidation. It recently acquired 19 Géant hypermarkets in Poland from French retailer Casino.

“We are doing our best to pay on time. The delays are possibly caused by the implementation of new IT systems and verification of invoices," a spokesperson of Real told the Polish News Bulletin. The producers agree that the problems with payments appeared after the take-over of Géant. Many suppliers are considering cutting-off supplies before Christmas. That would put Real in a difficult position, as the Christmas period usually brings in 20 to 30 per cent of the annual revenues. The producers wonder if the problems are not an attempt to "soften" them up before signing the new contracts, which next year will have even tougher conditions than now.