The main goal of this paper was to identify the strategy of chains of large scale retail outlets selling FMCGand to classify the main strategic groups in this sector in Poland. The first stage of the study was based on secondary sources. In total thirty in-depth interviews with managers representing the sector ofFMCGretailers were the main source of information describing companies operating on this market. Identified strategic groups are generally similar to these classified in countries of Western Europe, but some differences appear. Members of various groups representing clearly defined formats, for example supermarkets, differ sometimes remarkably. The main elements of differentiation are the product range and the sales area.

The main goal of this paper was to identify the strategy of chains of large scale retail outlets selling FMCGand to classify the main strategic groups in this sector in Poland. The first stage of the study was based on secondary sources. In total thirty in-depth interviews with managers representing the sector ofFMCGretailers were the main source of information describing companies operating on this market. Identified strategic groups are generally similar to these classified in countries of Western Europe, but some differences appear. Members of various groups representing clearly defined formats, for example supermarkets, differ sometimes remarkably. The main elements of differentiation are the product range and the sales area.