Carrefour Italy to sustain pace of innovation | Progresiv
In an interview in Distribuzione Modena, Carrefour Italy’s commercial and marketing director, Grégoire Kaufman, discussed why the retailer has to continue to focus on format evolution to compete. 
In July, Carrefour launched three new formats in Italy; Carrefour Market Attrazione 2.0, Express 3 Minuti and Supeco, with the aim of meeting different shopper needs in a variety of locations.
Kaufman noted that central to many of the new store designs has been the need to meet shoppers’ needs for on-the-go and meal solutions. This is especially the case in central city locations, where shoppers are increasingly demanding of what they want from traditional supermarket chains. He went on to say that seating and comfort also have to be a core element of the stores as some shoppers want to sit and rest.
Kaufman went on to discuss that while ecommerce would be central to Carrefour’s development in Italy, a solution for local shoppers would have to be evolved. The channel is receiving further attention from rivals in the country, especially as Amazon expands its range of services and coverage. To remain competitive it is likely that Carrefour will have to look to innovate in the channel in Italy.
In its half year results Carrefour said like-for-like sales rose 2.7% excluding petrol and calendar effects, underlining how the retailer is gaining in the market after a challenging period of operation. The increasing focus on smaller store formats and convenient meal solutions is providing the retailer with new growth opportunities, especially in key urban locations, while helping it offset the difficult environment for hypermarkets. Although Kaufman noted that the store designs are being developed solely for the Italian market, given the global strategy the retailer is following puts an increasing focus on smaller stores, it will be interesting to see what learnings other markets can take from Italy. (www.igd.com)
