Carrefour to maintain development pace in 2016

“We are planning to open two new hypermarkets [in the Posnania shopping centre, which is being developed by Apsys Polska, and in Fabryka Wołomin, which is owned by Rockcastle Global Real Estate Group Limited and Acteeum Group – editor’s note]. The company will also invest in local stores. It is planning to open 150 such outlets this year. There will also be ten new supermarkets,” said Guillaume de Colonges, the president of the board of Carrefour Polska. Last year Carrefour opened one hypermarket, two supermarkets and almost 120 local stores. In this period the chain modernised 15 hypermarkets, 50 supermarkets and nine shopping centres as well as three franchise concepts. Last year the company purchased a chain of 38 shops under the name of Galeria Alkoholi and also launched the eCarrefour.pl online shop selling non-food merchandise. At the end of 2015 the company managed a total of 800 stores in five formats as well as shopping centres with a combined retail area of 230,000 sqm. The president of the company has not ruled out the possibility of acquisition-based development but he emphasised that the condition for making such a decision would be their compliance with the company’s development strategy as well as the satisfaction of investors and customers. In 2015 Carrefour Poland had a low but stable gross sales growth of 0.25 pct. At the end of last year the company generate a total sales result of PLN 8.9 mln. “I am an optimist. I believe that the market will show stable growth in 2016 and, due to the low margins generated by retail outlets nowadays, and our results will mostly depend on gaining new, loyal customers,” claimed Guillaume de Colonges. The president of Carrefour Polska also spoke of the company’s response to the introduction of the retail tax. “We are a loyal tax payer and fulfil all our obligations in this regard towards the country. If the government decides to introduce the retail sales tax, we will of course comply. However, the retail sector is of a fibre that is strongly interconnected due to the dependence of all its elements, which will be affected by the introduction of the new fee,” remarked Guillaume de Colonges. In 2015 the company also launched its Smak Kariery conference and training centre for the education of future employees of the chain. This involves vocational training in professions such as baker, pastry cook as well as ham and sausage maker. Carrefour is also involved in charity and CRS campaigns, on which it spent PLN 750,000 in 2015. Carrefour’s stores have a total weekly footfall of 5 mln customers.