Iceland Mat announced in a Facebook post that two of its Norwegian stores would close for good at the end of the year.
“There are two leases that are expiring. It has not been relevant to continue there,” CEO of Iceland Norway, Geir Olav Opheim, told Norwegian news site Nettavisen.
He added that the two premises were not ideal locations for the chain, firstly because the one in Asker is too small and because the one in Stovner is in a remote corner of the shopping centre the store is located in.
He also said Iceland Norway had been unable to find suitable premises in Stovner or Asker to suit the chain’s needs.
Opheim told Nettavisen that customers were disappointed at the news.
“They don’t want us to disappear, but at the same time, we are dependent on being located in places that allow us to get enough customers in,” he explained.
The two store closures follow the chain closing the doors of its Larvik location in 2021. Following the two new closures, the chain will have three locations in Norway, two in Oslo and one in Kristiansand.
Iceland has no plans to open any more stores in Norway for the foreseeable future. Instead, it will work on selling more products in established stores and via its collaborations with Europris and Oda, according to the Nettavisen report.
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