Ladybug

Biedronka is a retail chain in Poland, founded by Mariusz Świtalski in 1995. The first store was established in Poznań, and in 1997, the company was acquired by the Portuguese firm Jerónimo Martins, which has since dynamically expanded the network, opening its 3,000th store in 2019. In 2008, Biedronka took over the Plus chain, contributing to further growth in the number of stores. The chain generated revenue of 32 billion złoty in 2013, and by 2019, sales reached 12.62 billion euros. Biedronka is known for its innovative strategy, which since 2014 has aimed to expand its assortment beyond traditional food products by introducing its own brands, such as Hykker and Seven for 7. In 2024, it launched an online store. For many years, Biedronka did not accept card payments, a policy that changed initially in 2013 and was officially introduced in 2014. The chain generates 65% of Jerónimo Martins' revenue and is one of the largest taxpayers in Poland, contributing approximately 4.5 billion złoty to the state budget in 2022. Biedronka has faced controversies regarding employee wages and the falsification of work records, and in 2023, it was fined 160 million złoty for misleading consumers. Additionally, in 2024, Lidl sued Biedronka for using an advertising slogan that could be misleading, highlighting the growing competition in the Polish retail market.