For more than three decades, corporate social responsibility, charitable initiatives, and community support have been an integral part of SPAR Hungary’s corporate culture. In 2025, the retail chain continued to support thousands of families in need through school supply and non-perishable food collections, while also backing programmes in healthcare, animal welfare, culture, and sport. In total, SPAR Hungary invested nearly 220 million forints in social initiatives in 2025.

Collaboration to support families in need

In 2025, SPAR Hungary, together with its strategic partner, the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta, continued its multi-faceted collaboration, providing tangible assistance to those in need with active customer participation. During the “A Joy to Give!” school supply collection campaign, customers donated tens of thousands of school items to support children from disadvantaged families and also contributed by purchasing donation cards. Contributions from donation cards raised nearly 2 million forints, which SPAR supplemented with an additional HUF 1 million. As a result of a four-day in-store collection campaign at INTERSPAR hypermarkets, nearly 100,000 school supplies and other educational materials were delivered to families in need via the charity, ensuring that around 1,800 children were well-prepared to start the new school year in September.

“A Joy to Give!” Christmas food collection remained a highlight in 2025. A total of 148 SPAR and INTERSPAR stores participated, with customers donating 208 tonnes of non-perishable food. Contributions via donation cards raised nearly 5.5 million forints, which supporters supplemented with an additional 7 million forints through the Adomanyozz.hu platform. From these combined donations, the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta prepared approximately 25,000 food parcels, which were delivered to families in need before the holidays.

As part of the strategic partnership, SPAR continued its food rescue programme in 2025. Over 1 million kilograms of fruit, vegetables and other food items withdrawn from sale but still suitable for consumption were distributed to those in need through the charity. The programme not only provides vital support to vulnerable communities but also contributes to reducing food waste.

SPAR also provides customers with continuous opportunities to support those in difficult situations. Donation cards valued at 200 or 500 forints, available at checkouts in aid of the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta, allow anyone to easily contribute to helping families in need. In this way, the power of collective action is felt even during everyday shopping.

Comprehensive support for the recovery of people living with leukaemia

As part of its corporate social responsibility, SPAR Hungary has been supporting the “Let’s Help Children and Patients with Leukaemia” public benefit foundation for more than a decade. The organisation aids children and adults living with leukaemia and other haematopoietic diseases through support, donations, and 1% personal income tax contributions. In addition to direct financial support, the company also helps the foundation’s activities by providing visibility and communication opportunities in its stores, as well as space for activities related to charitable programmes.

Sport and solidarity

SPAR Hungary has been committed for many years to promoting an active lifestyle and physical activity. One of the highlights of this effort is the SPAR Budapest Marathon® Festival, one of the country’s largest recreational sports events, in which the company has participated for years as the title sponsor. In 2025, tens of thousands of runners took part in the race, including numerous SPAR employees who represented the company community across various distances. To support the physical and mental well-being of its employees, the company again provided free entry for colleagues to participate in any race distance. Preparing for and participating in the event together not only strengthens a health-conscious mindset but also contributes to the sense of community and cohesion within the company.

The sporting event also carried a social message: for every participating employee, SPAR donated 2,000 forints to the Budapest Bike Maffia Association, which aims to support the daily lives of vulnerable and homeless people.

Shaping customer mindset and promoting a conscious lifestyle

An important element of SPAR Hungary’s social responsibility is shaping customer mindset and supporting conscious decision-making. In 2025, the company launched several initiatives that provide practical guidance for adopting a health-conscious and sustainable lifestyle in everyday life. The year-long educational campaign by SPAR and Nestlé supported the long-term implementation of New Year’s lifestyle resolutions. The digital year planner offered inspiring stories, practical advice, and easy-to-follow tips each month to help consumers develop a healthier and more sustainable way of life. Each month, the content was complemented with recipes based on easily accessible, affordable ingredients, shopping lists, and dietary information. The online planner was promoted through the MySPAR app and the digital channels of SPAR and Nestlé.

Shaping mindset also targets the youngest age groups: in 2025, the highly successful SPAR ECO ADVENTURE animated series returned with new episodes. The series, previously aimed at preschool and early school-age children, was expanded with seven new episodes that address environmentally conscious everyday life in a playful and understandable way. The episodes cover topics such as selective waste collection, healthy lifestyles, reducing food waste, and avoiding single-use plastics. The animated series is available on SPAR Hungary’s YouTube channel and at sparafenntarthatojovoert.hu.

The aim of these initiatives is to provide customers, regardless of age, with knowledge and motivation to make more conscious and responsible decisions in their everyday lives.

SPAR stands up for animal welfare

SPAR Hungary has been supporting domestic animal welfare organisations for more than a decade, and in 2025 it contributed to the care of animals living in shelters through numerous initiatives. The retail chain helped the organisations by regularly donating products withdrawn from commercial sale but still suitable for feeding animals, so that food donations reached several hundred animal welfare organisations across the country during the year.

In addition, the company has worked for years in close professional cooperation with the National Animal Welfare Foundation. One of the most important elements of this partnership is the “Paw in Trouble!” nationwide pet food collection campaign, which in 2025 was held for the fifth time in INTERSPAR hypermarkets. Within the framework of this charitable initiative, customers were able to hand over their donations directly to volunteers from more than thirty participating shelters and animal welfare organisations. Last year’s collection also achieved outstanding results, and SPAR Hungary supplemented the programme with an additional 1 million forints in financial support, reinforcing its long-term commitment to animal welfare and responsible pet ownership.

SPAR also provides animal welfare organisations with opportunities throughout the year to organise donation drives in its stores. The company’s open cooperation strengthens the visibility of civil organisations and creates a direct connection between customers and the supported causes.

Events organised with a conscious environmental approach

SPAR Hungary continued its practice of striving to reduce environmental impact when organising certain key corporate events. As part of this, the related estimated CO₂ emissions are calculated and monitored with the involvement of independent experts. Over the past years, the company has consciously incorporated expert recommendations from previous years into its event organisation practices, resulting in a measurable reduction in calculated carbon emissions. In addition, the company contributes to longer-term environmental goals by financing a native tree planting project.

SPAR’s “Regional Treasures” programme supports small businesses

In 2025, SPAR Hungary’s Regional Treasures programme further strengthened the market presence of domestic small producers and small businesses. Launched four years ago, the initiative now offers a total of around 550 products from 125 domestic suppliers across the store network, allowing customers to choose from an increasing number of local specialties in their everyday shopping. The range currently includes products across 23 categories: in addition to dairy products, pasta, cold cuts, jams and honey, it also features cold-pressed oils, craft beers, wines, pickles, preserves and various sweets. The programme aims to provide smaller food producers with a stable sales opportunity while enabling customers to access high-quality domestic products. Beyond product sales, SPAR also supports its partners with professional and digital assistance, contributing to the development of their operations and increasing their market competitiveness. The initiative also helps stimulate the local economy and create jobs: businesses participating in the programme collectively provide livelihoods for over 800 people. In this way, Regional Treasures delivers value simultaneously to customers, domestic producers, and local communities.

Supporting community causes

Through the SPAR Helping Hands grant system, many civil organisations also received support last year. The programme provides an opportunity for both local and nationwide causes to access funding. As a result, the initiative strengthens community cohesion and the stability of the civil sector.

Attila Chikán Jr., Chairman of ALTEO, discussed in the Portfolio Business Podcast that the electricity market has already moved beyond the “revolutionary” phase of the green transition. Today, the real key question is no longer the adoption of new technologies, but how we use them intelligently.

At the corporate level, active and intelligent energy management has become an essential factor of competitiveness. Cooperation plays a crucial role here, as does the presence of an aggregator capable of managing the portfolio with an appropriate IT background—processing vast amounts of data required for energy-related decisions and continuously optimizing the system.

This approach is also reflected in ALTEO’s operations: an integrated portfolio of various renewable technologies, gas-fired power plants, and electricity storage units, complemented by unique digital production management solutions.

The full discussion is available to subscribers on Portfolio’s website.

In 2025, the cooperation between SPAR Hungary and the National Animal Protection Foundation continued, enabling customers across the country to support dogs and cats living in animal shelters. Over the course of the year, a total of 210 collection campaigns were organised in SPAR and INTERSPAR stores, benefiting civil organisations involved in animal rescue.

Last year, several dozen animal welfare NGOs participated regularly in the programme. The collections were coordinated by the National Animal Protection Foundation, through which various shelters and animal welfare associations were given the opportunity, month after month, to meet customers in person. The volume of donations collected over the year clearly demonstrates the tangible results of the initiative. Customers donated 23,221 kilograms of dry dog food, 16,319 cans of dog food and 1,200 dog salamis. For cats, 5,820 kilograms of dry food, as well as 33,286 cans and pouches of wet food were collected. These donations provide essential support for the day-to-day operation of shelters, where care costs continue to rise year on year.

“The success of the cooperation between the National Animal Protection Service Foundation and SPAR is the result of a system built up over many years, based on continuous communication and close collaboration with civil organisations. While we are aware that fewer people are able to donate larger amounts, it is important for SPAR that the participating animal welfare organisations can rely on us and on the support of our customers month after month. We are grateful to everyone who contributes to this extremely important work, whether by donating a pack of food or by volunteering their time” said Márk Maczelka, Head of Communications at SPAR Hungary.

The number of participating organisations continues to grow year by year, while the frequency of collections depends on the availability of volunteers. Personal presence not only facilitates donations but also allows customers to learn more about the work of each organisation and meet their volunteers.

Another key objective of the initiative is targeted giving: donations are always tailored to the current needs of the specific organisation, whether food, cleaning supplies or equipment. Based on experience from recent years, this flexible, cooperation-based system has become increasingly effective.

The programme will continue in 2026. Information on ongoing and upcoming donation drives, including locations and dates, is available on SPAR’s dedicated online platform: https://www.sparafenntarthatojovoert.hu/mancsabajban

The National Animal Protection Foundation continues to welcome applications from animal welfare organisations and encourages animal-loving customers to visit the organisations at collection points and even donate a few hours of their time, thereby supporting their dedicated work.

The redesign of the SPAR free from product range has been completed, offering a more modern and transparent visual identity to help customers following special diets navigate more easily. The new design unifies the portfolio of more than 55 products and strengthens the brand’s market position within the rapidly growing “free from” category.

The SPAR free from product family has been available in Hungary since 2009, tailored specifically to the needs of customers with gluten and lactose intolerance. The brand was one of the first own-branded “free from” ranges to appear on the domestic market. The original selection of 25 items has now grown to more than 55 products, covering virtually every product group: from lactose-free dairy products to gluten-free bakery goods and pasta, as well as sweets, snacks, frozen foods and convenience items. The portfolio continues to expand, and SPAR shelves now also feature innovative products that are both gluten- and lactose-free.

Consumer trends clearly show an increase in special diets and food intolerances, particularly gluten and lactose sensitivity. Shoppers are increasingly seeking safe, easy-to-identify products with reliable ingredients, and SPAR has seen dynamic sales growth within its own-brand SPAR free from gluten- and lactose-free range. Customer feedback is considered during product development and partly shapes the creation of new items and recipes.

The reliability of the products is ensured through multiple levels of certification. Gluten-free products carry the LÉOE trademark and the crossed-grain symbol, along with the trademark’s unique registration number – confirming that the items comply with current legislation and with the AOECS Standard, developed by the Association of European Coeliac Societies. SPAR Hungary’s quality management systems and regular laboratory testing provide additional guarantees of consistent, high quality.

The new packaging is clean and modern, with clear pictograms indicating lactose- and gluten-free status. The colour scheme and graphics have been designed to reflect the expectations of consumers with special dietary needs. The aim was to make the products instantly recognisable and easy to identify on store shelves.

“The visual refresh of our popular product range is an important milestone, as quick and reliable identification is especially important for customers who prefer these items. The new design is modern, clean and easy to navigate, supporting informed purchasing decisions

while reinforcing the unified look of the product family,” explained Márk Maczelka, head of communications at SPAR Hungary.

The rollout of the new packaging is taking place in phases: some products are already available with the new design, while others will adopt the refreshed look once existing packaging materials have been used up.

The underground passages of the 13th‑century limestone quarry beneath Dreher’s historic brewery have been reinforced to enable the construction of new production units. In the first phase of the company’s HUF 100‑billion investment programme, the entire fermentation process will be renewed – supported by 35 gigantic tanks that have already been floated up the Danube from Germany.

The fermentation and maturation tanks were transported by road during the night from the Csepel Freeport to the Kőbánya brewery site in late October and early November 2025. The largest units, measuring 20–22 metres, had to be manufactured without external insulation in order to receive the permits required for oversized transport through Budapest. The insulation layer will instead be installed on-site in a specially constructed hall with the help of an international team of experts.

“In the life of a historic company, there comes a moment when comprehensive development and the complete renewal of certain processes become necessary. In Dreher’s 21st-century story, that moment has now arrived. Thanks to the professional and business successes of the past years, we have reached a point where Asahi Europe & International has chosen to launch a globally significant investment with us – one that will secure the long-term future of our brewery,” said Mike James, CEO of Dreher Breweries.

Fermentation is one of the most critical steps in brewing. During this stage, yeast transforms the sugars in the wort into alcohol and carbon dioxide – fundamentally shaping the beer’s flavour, aroma, and carbonation. This makes the current investment especially important for Dreher: alongside the modern buildings and 300‑cubic‑metre tanks, new technologies will also be introduced. Next to the new fermentation building, an energy centre is being constructed that will later serve the entire production process and improve the efficiency of water and energy use.

“We are carrying out the largest single investment ever made in the Hungarian beer industry at the country’s leading brewery*, on a historic site – all while continuing full production. This requires exceptionally creative handling of every logistical challenge. The complexity of our project, called the Master Plan, is well illustrated by the fact that we had to reinforce 800‑year‑old tunnels so that a 500‑ton crane could lift into place tanks that, in their completed form, could not even be transported on Hungarian roads,” said András Rácz, Director of Integrated Supply Chain at Dreher Breweries.

In recent years, Asahi Europe & International has already implemented several developments to improve the efficiency of the Kőbánya brewery and strengthen Dreher’s export capability: HUF 4.6 billion was invested in replacing compressors and filtration equipment, followed by a HUF 7‑billion investment in a new aluminium canning line. The first phase of the Master Plan mega‑investment – also fully self‑funded – amounting to HUF 30 billion, is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. Further development directions will be determined based on how the domestic market evolves.

Please find the video and photo gallery of the tank transport and construction work under the links.

*Source: Based on NielsenIQ RMS beer category sales data for the 12‑month period ending September 2025, covering the entire Hungarian retail market (Copyright © 2025, The Nielsen Company (Europe) Sarl).