BILLA Bulgaria Closes All Stores for Easter Sunday
BILLA Bulgaria closed its entire store network on April 12 for Easter Sunday, marking the first time in its 25-year history that the supermarket chain has shut down for the holiday. Chief Executive Albena Georgieva described the move as a radical step aimed at prioritizing employees, while the company simultaneously advances store digitalisation to improve operational efficiency.
Key points
- Albena Georgieva, chief executive of BILLA Bulgaria, led the decision to close the company's entire retail network for the first time in 25 years.
- All BILLA Bulgaria stores remained completely closed on April 12 for Easter Sunday under the Eastern Orthodox calendar.
- Georgieva called the closure a bold and radical move intended to emphasize putting employees at the center of the business.
- The supermarket chain is concurrently advancing the digitalisation of its stores and operational processes to streamline daily work for its staff.
BILLA Bulgaria closed its entire network of supermarkets on April 12 for Easter Sunday, marking the first time in the company's 25-year history that locations shut down for the holiday. Albena Georgieva, who assumed the role of chief executive in September 2025 after serving as chief operating officer for BILLA Slovakia, acknowledged that the shutdown was an unconventional step for the local market.
Speaking about the decision, Georgieva described it as bold and radical, noting that while holiday closures are standard practice in many other European nations, it represents a significant shift for Bulgaria. The primary motivation behind the unprecedented closure was to deliver a clear message prioritizing the welfare of the workforce.
Company leadership expressed confidence that the holiday pause will not negatively impact financial performance. Alongside the focus on staff well-being, BILLA Bulgaria is actively pursuing the digitalisation of its stores and internal processes to enhance daily efficiency for employees as part of its long-term strategy.
Sources
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