Carrefour builds momentum in Q3 | Progresiv
France-based Carrefour has said ‘better momentum in France’ and accelerating growth in Brazil’ had underpinned an acceleration in sales growth during the third quarter. Carrefour said total sales rose 2.7% at constant exchange rates, to 21.09 billion euros, with like-for-like sales rising 2.1%. 
The retailer pointed to the roll out of its 2022 Transformation Plan as supporting its better performance in Q3 and the improvements made as 2018 has progressed. The acceleration of sales in Q3, versus H1, was most notable in the key markets of France and Brazil, where the retailer has placed a lot of strategic and commercial focus.
A key element of the 2022 Transformation Plan is focused on building out its omnichannel presence and enabling shoppers to move more easily between its stores. In its results it highlighted the opening of new Drives and pedestrian Drives in France, expansion of its home delivery service and the revamping of its websites to make it easier for shoppers to buy from a range of categories, including food and non-food.
Investment in its stores continued. In France this has seen it reduce the selling area of hypermarkets, with about 10,000 sq. m already reallocated and 40,000 sq. m more being investigated. It has also seen Darty shop-in-shop areas trialled in a store, with two likely to be in operation by the end of the year.
In Brazil this saw it add new stores to enable it to enter new areas and provide shoppers with greater choice. Carrefour said it had opened more than 300 convenience stores and 14 Atacadão in the country over the last nine months. (www.igd.com)
