Carrefour plans Polish expansion
numbers in Poland over the next five years by investing between
PLZ250-300million (€65-78m) on an annual basis.
The expansion from its current 32 hypermarkets and 71 supermarkets will involve increasing the number of petrol stations it owns (currently 10) and building two new shopping centres.
Alain Souillard, chief executive of Carrefour's local operations said: "We will start in 2006 by opening four hypermarkets and 15-20 Champion supermarkets. We also want to open shopping malls in Zamosc and one which is being built in co-operation with Cefic in Gliwice."
He added that the retailer's future development in the country will no longer involve takeovers of shopping malls or individual stores, despite the fact that it acquired 12 hypermarkets from Ahold earlier this year.
He also pointed out that Carrefour is considering opening 1,000 square metres stores in smaller towns, this format will be more suited to the Polish market where the population is spread out in rural towns.
Boris Planer, CEE analyst at Planet Retail told FoodandDrinkEurope.com: "Poland has a low population density, with only four per cent of the population living in the capital city. Small towns are a big opportunity."
He explained that tens of thousands of unexploited small towns are crying out for cheap modernized food retailers.
Carrefour is the second French retailer in so many weeks to announce expansion plans in Poland.
Last week France's second largest retailer Leclerc announced plans to open two to three stores there every year for the next ten years, investing €20.5million (PLN80m) each year. The retailer has already invested €436m in the country.
