Tesco is planning to open 51 stores in Turkey this year as part of an GBP80m expansion programme.

A spokesman for Tesco’s Turkish subsidiary told just-food this week that the retailer planned to open 25 supermarkets, 16 hypermarkets and 10 Express outlets.

The retailer’s Tesco Kipa subsidiary last year reported a turnover of TL1.65bn and expects this year to see that rise to TRL2bn, the spokesman said.

Tesco arrived in Turkey in 2003 buying 92.92% of the equity of the Izmir-based Kipa supermarket chain. Today, Tesco operates 48 hypermarkets, 66 Express outlets and 11 supermarkets under the Kipa brand, all located in west and central Turkey.