Billa supermarket closes Czech e-shop: Shifts focus to store expansion

Billa, one of the Czech Republic’s largest supermarket chains, has announced it will close its e-shop at the end of January 2026, citing financial losses and greater efficiency through courier partnerships. The decision affects online orders in Prague, Brno, and surrounding areas, where the e-shop currently serves around 1.5 million households.

The move follows a strategic review of Billa’s digital operations and delivery model. The company concluded that operating its own online platform required significant investment in technology, logistics, and staff, which outweighed the benefits.

“Investments in technology and expanding delivery points were so high that it is more effective to distribute goods via courier services,” said Billa spokeswoman Dana Bratánková. She added that the e-shop will continue operating normally until its official closure. Afterwards, Billa will work with Wolt and Foodora to serve customers.

Billa launched its pilot e-shop in spring 2023 with ambitious plans to expand online grocery sales nationwide, aiming to compete with major Czech e-grocers like Košík.cz and Rohlík.cz. The expansion, however, proved costly and contributed to financial losses.

According to Bratánková, Billa posted a loss of nearly CZK 63 million in 2023, largely driven by the e-shop. The company expects that the losses related to the platform will deepen in the following year. The decision to close the e-shop also reflects broader challenges in balancing online retail and operational costs.

“While the e-shop allowed us to reach 1.5 million households, partnering with courier services expands our reach to 2.5 million,” Bratánková noted. She emphasized that the shift is aimed at maximizing efficiency and ensuring sustainable growth across the company’s operations.

Industry analysts say Billa’s move mirrors a wider trend among Czech retailers, who are increasingly weighing the costs of in-house digital operations against outsourcing delivery to third-party services. Other supermarket chains, including Penny and Globus, also rely on courier partnerships to extend online service coverage.

Alongside the e-shop closure, Billa is intensifying investments in its physical stores. The company plans to invest nearly CZK 2.8 billion CZK in 2026, slightly higher than the CZK 2.5 billion spent in 2025, to open new stores and modernize existing locations. This will include 15 new store openings and renovations of 40 existing outlets next year.

Following the closure, customers can continue to order Billa products through Wolt, Foodora, and potentially other logistics partners in the future. Orders will be placed via the partners’ apps, though the product range may be smaller than that offered previously via Billa’s in-house platform.

Billa’s decision underscores the challenges facing traditional supermarket chains in adapting to e-commerce. The shift is expected to allow the company to serve a larger number of households more efficiently, while keeping operational costs manageable.

While online sales remain important for supermarkets, high costs for logistics, staffing, and technology infrastructure can make self-operated platforms difficult to sustain in a competitive market.

Retail experts note that Billa’s move also reflects wider trends in Central Europe, where supermarket chains are increasingly outsourcing delivery to third parties, while using digital tools to complement, rather than replace, physical stores.