Paper short abstract:

The retail trade sector in BiH is dominated by a domestic company, one of the biggest economic players in the country. This paper discusses conflicting imaginaries of foreign investment after the announcement of a the arrival of a German discounter.

Paper long abstract:

Retail trade represents one of the thriving economic sectors in Bosnia and Herzegovina and is led by mostly one domestic company, Bingo. Founded during the war in the 1990s, it is now one of the most important companies in the country. It is active in several domains, from retail to food production, often privatising bankrupt companies, and even the tourist sector. Bingo’s mangers have created a narrative that presents the company’s success as a savvy way of doing business in a complex political context. By forging their own notion of a domestic (domaće) economy, customers and employees are asked to participate in a common effort to unite the country through economic growth.

Now, after years of assured monopoly, the German discounter Lidl is coming to Bosnia. This development will be accompanied by manifold transformations in the Bosnian retail trade sector. Lidl is beloved by many as a discounter, providing ‘German’ quality products that are very popular among the population. However, Bingo’s success is based on strong regional economic development and the support of domestic food production, providing stable employment and securities for numerous citizens also outside the stores. Based on ethnographic fieldwork in the city of Tuzla, I discuss these conflicting representations and ask how this development shapes perceptions of foreign intervention and economic growth on the European semi-periphery.