Press Release 12th May 2026

Shopping like in the old days: PENNY launches retro prices

With the cost of living on the rise, conscious shopping is becoming increasingly important for many households. PENNY Austria is responding with a clear promise: ‘Prices like in the old days’. Products are being brought back to the price levels customers are familiar with from the past. But what exactly does that mean? How are prices set, and how much leeway is there really?

A man in a blue blazer stands in a grocery store produce section with fruits and vegetables, holding a large white letter "P" and a yellow circle. Banners above display images of fresh produce and the words "Frischer Genuss" and "Vielfalt."

Johannes Greller at a new PENNY store / Copyright: © PENNY / Robert Harson, Reproduction for PR purposes free of charge

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According to an internal REWE International survey from the first quarter of 2026, around a quarter of Austrians are having to tighten their belts financially. At the same time, recent data from Statistics Austria shows that Austrian households spend an average of around 12 per cent of their income on food.

PENNY is responding to this trend with a clear approach: transparent, permanently low prices without complicated mechanisms. The “Prices like in the old days” campaign runs from 13 May to 10 June 2026 and covers a wide variety of products, which are being reset to price levels from the last seven years. On average, the products are around 38 per cent cheaper. Earlier this year, PENNY had already permanently reduced prices on over 300 items, such as bananas, frankfurters and mushrooms – “permanently” meaning: at least three months cheaper than in the previous period. The discount retailer also deliberately focuses on strong opening offers and numerous promotions at new store openings and in the PENNY leaflet to ease the burden on customers.

“Our customers should be able to rely on the fact that they can shop really cheaply at PENNY. With ‘Prices like in the old days’, we’re turning back the clock and showing that we’re actively working against inflation and providing tangible relief,” says Johannes Greller, Managing Director of PENNY Austria.

PENNY: a trusted discount supermarket

Value for money has always been a key focus at PENNY – and the “Prices like in the old days” campaign places even greater emphasis on this aspect in its communications. PENNY deliberately positions itself as a discount retailer offering added value: its product range comprises 45 per cent own-brand products and 55 per cent branded goods. PENNY is the only discounter in Austria to have its own butchers in over 230 stores.

Investing in the future

Alongside its pricing initiative, PENNY is committed to sustainable growth: over the next three years, the company will invest around 90 million euros in the largest shop refurbishment programme in its history – featuring a new, forward-looking shop layout and a greater focus on freshness in the meat, fruit & vegetable, and bread & bakery sections.