Auchan investing in Italy and Spain | Progresiv
Auchan Retail Spain has said it finished 2017 generating gross sales of 4.6 billion euros, an increase of 1.3% on 2016. The retailer invested 112 million euros in its operations in 2017, a 43.5% rise on the amount it spent in 2016. The investment was made in opening new stores and in its digital operations, both from a shopper-facing point of view, but also internally to improve processes and drive efficiency. 
Auchan ended 2017 with 356 stores, after opening 11 supermarkets and two hypermarkets during the year. At the end of the year it operated 356 stores; 60 hypermarkets and 296 supermarkets, of which 170 are franchised, and its online store.
As part of its single brand strategy, Auchan has opened the first of its rebranded Auchan Supermarkets in Milan. The reopened supermarket adds to the retailer’s presence in the city, where it operates four hypermarkets and 21 MyAuchan stores, while it takes to 10 the number of Auchan Supermarkets in the country. After the reopening of the supermarket in Milan, Auchan has upweighted its fresh offer, including bakery, butcher and fish counters, and improved the range of services it offers shoppers, adding live cooking stations and rolling out its app-based payment system.
Separately, Auchan said it had signed up to the ‘Take My Things’ app, adding a trial of the service from its Bergamo hypermarket. Auchan is enabling shoppers within three kilometres of its Bergamo hypermarket to receive orders, offering one-hour delivery times. The app links shoppers with other people who are willing and able to make deliveries for a fee. People who offer to make the deliveries must register through the app. If successful Auchan said it will roll the service out to further key cities in northern Italy.
Auchan is not the first retailer to trial such a service, as retailers look to minimise the costs of last mile deliveries, while also looking to offer a seamless offer to shoppers. Belgium-based Colruyt launched its own Apporto service in March following a trial in January 2018. As part of its launch Colruyt highlighted the benefits of the service to shoppers who are unable to get to a store due to being ill, incapacitated or unable to lift heavy groceries. The more community-like feel of the service could work well with shoppers more widely. (www.igd.com)
