Hungary’s first Mere discount store opens today – if you’re looking for rock-bottom prices, this will be your shop!
After a long wait, Hungary’s first Mere-style store will finally open its doors today – though not under the well-known Russian brand name, but as Basket Plusz Discount Store. The warehouse-style shop in Budapest’s 18th district promises brutally low prices and a rapidly changing range of goods from 3 December onwards.
Following months of speculation, it has now been officially confirmed that the long-anticipated Mere-style discount store will open on Wednesday, 3 December, although interestingly not under the familiar Russian name but as Basket Plusz Discount Store.
A long wait preceded the opening
The store, located at Besence utca 1 in the 18th district, offers a 570-square-metre retail area. According to information obtained by Mindmegette, the technical handover is taking place on 2 December, meaning everything is ready for the 9am opening the next morning.
The warehouse-style shop, promising extremely low prices, has been rumoured for quite some time, as the Russian-backed chain announced back in 2023 that it intended to enter the Hungarian market. Yet the opening date kept being pushed back for unknown reasons.
The reason for the name change remains unclear
There is still no official explanation for the name change, but company documents clearly show that the unit previously registered as Mere and the new Basket Plusz store are listed at the same address and under the same site number.
Additionally, the two shops’ logos bear notable similarities in shape and colour scheme. It is also worth noting that the company registering Basket Plusz is TS Retail Kft., the very same entity that has been linked to Mere’s Hungarian expansion from the beginning.
Extremely cheap products and a wide range await shoppers
Customers can expect a very wide assortment: food, alcoholic drinks, toys and electronic goods may all appear in the pallet-based store, where fast stock rotation and a constantly changing product selection define the operation.
However, in the first few days the range may still be quite limited, meaning certain items might only be available for a short time before quickly disappearing from the shelves.
A key feature of the model is the presence of lesser-known, mostly European brands, offered in large pack sizes and the most cost-efficient packaging possible.
Basket Plusz set to follow the traditional Mere model
The shop will be open every day from 9am to 9pm, and its pricing strategy is expected to closely follow Mere’s international practice — significantly cheaper basic groceries, minimalistic marketing, and the occasional surprise ‘pallet product’ for bargain-hunters.
After a long wait, the Hungarian Mere saga is finally reaching its conclusion. Even if under a different name, the first Hungarian store is at last opening, and shoppers will soon see how Basket Plusz compares to the original chain.