PORTUGAL: Auchan to open first new hypermarket in Portugal since 2011 | Progresiv
After four years without opening new hypermarkets in the country, Auchan Portugal is investing 26 million euros in a new Jumbo store in Sintra. In an interview for daily Diario Economico, the managing director of Auchan Portugal, Américo Ribeiro, revealed the group will open a 10,000 m2 hypermarket by the end of year. 
The hypermarket, the biggest in the municipality of Sintra, will have all the important services, including the Health and Welfare area, Self-Discount, pet-food and petrol station.
Despite no major store openings in recent years, Ribeiro stressed that the group has not remained still, focusing on renovation of all of its existing stores, investing over 15 million euros per year on average.
According to Ribeiro, the renovation of existing stores will have priority over new openings, as the number of stores in Portugal is balanced with a total of 32 hypermarkets and small supermarkets (22 Jumbo, 7 Jumbo/Pão de Açúcar and 3 Pão de Açúcar). In addition, Auchan Portugal also owns petrol stations and is active in other businesses such as Health and Welfare. (www.esmmagazine.com)
