The owner of discount chains Pepco, Poundland and Dealz is to create 13,000 net new jobs across Europe.

Pepco Group boss Andy Bond told Reuters the company is bullish about bricks-and-mortar retail.

Unlike other main street stores, he says it's aiming for expansion, not survival.

Most of the jobs will come at new branches in continental Europe.

Bond says sales could benefit from rising inflation, with shoppers getting hungry for cheaper goods.

Pepco was listed on the Warsaw stock exchange in May, and is now valued at over $8 billion.

In September it will expand to its 17th country, Austria.

So far the firm has largely shunned online retail.

With customers only spending a few euros per shop, Bond says e-commerce doesn't make sense.

Though UK brand Poundland is conducting a small trial to see what works.

Investors seem convinced by the firm, and the sector.

Pepco shares are up more than a third since the listing.

Rivals like UK chain B&M have also seen strong stock-price gains.