Plus, the discount retail chain owned by Germany’s Tengelmann, is clearing ground on the outskirts of Ploesti, in south-east Romania, for a large distribution centre scheduled to open in August.

That might seem strange for a company that has yet to open a store in the country but Plus is not planning on dipping a toe into the market. The company aims to open 120 discount supermarkets in Romania between this summer and the end of 2008. This means more than one new store every two weeks for 3½ years.