Romania leads Carrefour’s growth in Europe | Progresiv

French retailer Carrefour continues its advance on the local market, reporting in the first quarter an advance of 7.1% compared to the same period of 2018, to 502 million euros. In terms like-for-like (excluding new openings), the retailer increased its business in Romania by 3.3%, this being the most important growth rate at European level.

Thus, in France, the retailer reported a turnover of 9.03 billion euros, up by 1% in terms of like-for-like, the best dynamic being in the convenience segment (+2.6%). However, if we refer to the region of Europe excluding France, the retailer reported revenues of 5.38 billion euros, the only markets on positive trend in the January-March period being Romania and Poland, the latter reporting a like-for-like growth of 3%, to 494 million euros. In Spain, Italy and Belgium, the French retailer's business was on a downward trend, the largest decline being reported on the Italian market.

At group level, Carrefour reported in the first quarter a turnover of more than 20 billion euros, increasing by 2.8% and 2.7% in like-for-like terms. At the end of the first quarter, the retailer operated 12,102 units, after 122 openings and 131 closures. Most openings have been made in the region of which Romania is part (+56 new stores), but where also most of the closures have also been made: 75.

In Romania, Carrefour operated 360 stores at the end of last year, and only 3 commercial units were opened in the first three months of the year.