Fitch aids Russian retail revolution with EDA task

LONDON - WPP-owned retail design specialist Fitch is to help Russia's Gradient conglomerate expand its EDA brand from one store to 700 by 2012.

The first of the stores has just opened, with 500 more to be built in Moscow alone. Two-hundred are also planned across Russia's other large cities in the next six years.

A "warm welcoming colour palette" is being applied to in-store environment, uniforms and packaging by Fitch. The new concept will cost a total of $50m (拢26.6m).

The EDA stores are aimed at bridging the gap between local food kiosks and larger supermarkets, providing a more inviting shopping experience for Russia's local communities.

Fitch design director Simon Threadknell said the concept "sets a new standard in Russian convenience retailing, which will change the pattern of shopping in Moscow.

"Busy people can now do their food shop on their way home from work at a local Russian store with international retail standards."

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