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2014 Registration Document
Presentation of the Group
1
Activities and strategy
1.3.3
A broad selection of quality products at the best prices
Products are the heart of Carrefour’s business. Product offer is based on
three unchanged principles: a wide selection, the lowest prices and the
highest possible quality. To cater to the needs of customers throughout
the world, Carrefour refines the offer to provide a variety of fresh produce,
products from local suppliers, national brand products and Carrefour
brand products, essential non-food items, the best innovations and
daily retail services.
◗
Fresh produce
A major source of appeal for stores, fresh produce involve all the efforts
and expertise of employees. In all formats, Carrefour offers a wide range
of high-quality fresh produce in a carefully designed environment to give
customers a more enjoyable shopping experience: generous market stalls,
products within easy reach, and regional products. Throughout the world,
Carrefour is also developing eco-friendly local supply channels. Today,
Carrefour offers more than 550 Carrefour Quality Lines to its customers,
drawing from long-standing partnerships with farmers, breeders and
producers.
◗
Local products
Carrefour has always given priority to products sourced locally,
i.e.
products from the country in which they are sold, to support development
of the local economy. As a result, nearly 75% of all Carrefour food
products comes from local suppliers. Carrefour is strengthening this
approach and giving its store directors – particularly in hypermarkets
– more room for manoeuvre so that they can select and offer their
customers a very local selection of products sourced from producers
located close to stores.
◗
Everyday consumer goods
In its grocery, liquids and hygiene/beauty departments, Carrefour offers
both major-brand products that are highly valued by consumers plus a
selection of Carrefour’s own-brand products. In all of the countries in
which the Group operates, it aims to offer the lowest possible prices
every day, together with special offers on popular products.
◗
Non-food products
The non-food departments are organised into categories meeting
customers’ basic needs: household goods and general merchandise,
apparel and home appliances (photo, sound and multimedia equipment).
Carrefour products and national brands make up a selection of products
that are suited to everyone’s tastes and all budgets. Consumer habits
are changing, so Carrefour is tailoring its product offer by maximising
value for money for non-food products, expanding the general product
offer of its hypermarkets, providing its supermarket customers with the
convenience service that they expect and developing a range of innovative
and competitive Internet-based services.
◗
Commercial services
From financing solutions and entertainment to pharmacy products and
petrol, Carrefour services are available in shopping centres and store
car parks and meet customer needs with the same commitment: quality
products at the best prices.
Reserving theatre tickets, buying flowers, printing photos or renting a truck
for a move: Carrefour services, different depending on the country and
consumer habits, make it easy for customers to optimise their shopping
time and budget.
Carrefour can also offer its customers finance, savings and insurance
services in more than 950 of its branches and financial service stands
throughout the world. Located right next to hypermarkets, the Group’s
agencies and financial stands support Carrefour’s core business. One
of the ways in which it does this is by distributing PASS cards (payment
cards that can be used both in France and abroad), as well as by offering
finance solutions and extended warranties for goods purchased.
1.3.4
Carrefour’s growth in France and throughout the world
Carrefour has been opening stores for more than 50 years in France
and abroad. It currently operates in mainland France and its overseas
territories, as well as in Europe, Asia, Latin America, North Africa and the
Middle East through a network of consolidated and franchised stores,
and stores that it runs with partner companies.
In 2014, Carrefour either opened or acquired 1,128 new stores under
Group banners - some 657,000 sq.m of gross additional sales area.
As of the end of 2014, the Carrefour group had 10,860 stores under
banners in more than 30 countries.
In 2014, Carrefour posted net sales of €74.7 billion – up 2.9% on the
previous year at constant exchange rates. The increase was due to:
■
+2.8% growth in like-for-like store sales – the best performance
achieved in 7 years;
■
organic growth in sales (excluding petrol) at +3.9%, an increase
over 2013;
■
a negative effect of 1.1% from petrol;
■
a negligible impact from acquisitions/disposals during the year.