Tinex clears shelves as sale to Proeks International is examined

Tinex, one of North Macedonia's earliest supermarket chains, is pulling back after 32 years: shelves in several stores are being cleared and some shop doors are already closed. At a large branch opposite the Green Market in Skopje we found remaining items such as chocolates, canned goods and some frozen products, while the sections that once held meat and dairy were completely empty.

Rapid expansion, then an abrupt change of direction

At the end of 2024 Tinex introduced self-checkout lanes and announced further modernization of its stores. This past summer it opened a new, modern outlet inside the Mega Shopping Park Gevgelija covering 1,450 square metres, of which 1,000 square metres are sales area and 450 square metres are storage.

Only two months later reports emerged that the entire company Tinex Market DOOEL was selling its business to Proeks International from Kosovo. It remains unclear whether every individual store is included in the deal; unofficial information indicates that the Zebra business complex is excluded from the sale.

Commenting on the transaction, the Commission for Protection of Competition said: "'Proeks International L.L.C.' and the group to which 'Proeks International L.L.C.' belongs do not have affiliated entities registered in the Republic of North Macedonia, nor have they realized any revenue on the market in the Republic of North Macedonia in 2025." The Commission added on 11 August that "based on the preliminary examination, the Commission has established that the subject concentration may fall under the provisions of the Law on Protection of Competition. However, the final decision on this matter is reserved. The Commission invites interested third parties to submit comments and opinions on this concentration to the Commission." Interested third parties have until tomorrow to submit objections.

Financially, Tinex has faced serious difficulties in recent periods. Data cited by business registries show revenues of €86.3 million in 2025, which is 16.47 percent lower than the €103.4 million reported for 2024. After a pre‑year profit of €879.3 thousand, last year Tinex recorded a loss of €3.5 million. Headcount was reduced as well: the company had 1,140 employees in 2024 and 995 in 2025, a decline of 12.72 percent.

Separately, the Kosmo perfumery chain, together with its stock and entire inventory, is becoming the property of the Belgrade-based company Jasmin, which operates in the same business.

The ownership moves raise questions about the future of Tinex’s retail network, the fate of employees and suppliers, and how shoppers in Skopje and smaller towns will replace a long‑standing local chain should stores continue to close or change hands.

Photo: press material from the event