Normal (retailer)
| File:Normal, Saltgade 10, Ribe - på åbningsdagen.jpg | |
| Industry | Retail |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Skanderborg, Denmark |
Area served | Denmark, Finland, France, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Italy, Ireland |
Key people | Steen Overholdt Hansen (CEO) Jan Dal Lehrmann (Chairman) |
| Revenue | 2 billion DKK (2020) |
Number of employees | 4,767 (as of August 2025)[1] |
| Parent | Bestseller A/S (71.29%) |
| Website | normal |
Normal is a Danish bargain-priced variety store chain primarily selling shelf-stable food and personal care products by national brands. It was founded by Torben Mouritsen and Bo Kristensen in 2013 with the first store in Silkeborg, Denmark.[2] Its largest markets are Denmark, France, Norway, Finland, and Sweden.
Concept
[edit | edit source]The stores have a maze layout with a course that leads the customer through all their product categories before returning to the checkouts at the front of the store. Mouritsen calls the chain a hybrid between a grocery store and a personal care store. However, they are not considered a supermarket.[citation needed]
The concept could be compared to Danish variety store chains Flying Tiger and Søstrene Grene as they also offer a large varied selection of products at affordable/competitive prices in stores with a maze layout. However, Flying Tiger has more gimmick products and private-label food/personal care items, and Søstrene Grene has a greater focus on design and lifestyle branding.[citation needed]
According to the founders, about 80% of customers are women.[3] During the chain's lifetime, the director of Bestseller, Anders Holch Povlsen, has invested so much in the chain that he's become the main shareholder with an ownership stake of 71.29% under Bestseller, which is owned by Povlsen's investment company Heartland A/S.[4]
Stores
[edit | edit source]The first Normal store opened on 6 April 2013 in Silkeborg. There were 9 stores by 2015. On 10 May 2017, the chain announced that it would open its first two stores outside Denmark in Kristiansand, Norway.[5]
The company is based in Skanderborg, Denmark employing 1,972 people.[6] and operating 981 stores (November 2025)[7]
| Country | Number of stores (November 2025)[7] |
|---|---|
| File:Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark | 167 |
| File:Flag of Finland.svg Finland | 99 |
| File:Flag of France.svg France | 229 |
| File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands | 37 |
| File:Flag of Norway.svg Norway | 205 |
| File:Flag of Portugal (official).svg Portugal | 42 |
| File:Flag of Spain.svg Spain | 45 |
| File:Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden | 147 |
| File:Flag of Italy.svg Italy | 9 |
| File:Flag of Ireland.svg Ireland | 1 |
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References
[edit | edit source]- Normal. Berlingske.
- Lauritzen. Discount-supermarked vil fordoble antallet af butikker. Berlingske. 15 January 2016.
- Pedersen. Normal-direktør: Vi har tilsyneladende ramt helt rigtigt. Berlingske. 16 May 2017.
- Espersen. Ung butikskæde slår igen milliardrekord – vil åbne endnu flere butikker. Berlingske. 25 November 2023.
- Mortensen. Normal-kæden udvider med nye butikker i Aarhus. Jyllands-Posten. 23 November 2020.
- Traeholt. Normal buldrer frem - og slår igen milliardrekord. 24 November 2023.
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