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2014 Registration Document
Presentation of the Group
1
Intellectual property
1.4
Tangible fixed assets
For Carrefour, tangible fixed assets mainly include sales areas operated
by the Group. At the end of December 2014, the Group was operating
16.6 million sq.m of sales area through its stores under banners.
The Group’s ownership strategy for its stores varies from country to
country, and from format to format. In total, the Group owns most of the
real estate associated with its retail outlets. Since June 2012, Carrefour
Property’s activities in France, Spain and Italy - and its real estate activities
at international level - have been grouped together under the responsibility
of a Group Executive Director for Development and Real Estate.
Details of its asset ownership are given in Notes 18 and 19 of the
Consolidated Financial Statement for December 31, 2014, on pages
171 to 174 of this document.
In 2014, Carrefour continued to invest in upgrading its assets. The Group
is proceeding with several remodeling plans across formats. In France, for
example, Carrefour renovated 38 hypermarkets and 100 supermarkets
in 2014, for a total of 87 hypermarkets and 200 supermarkets renovated
since 2013, respectively accounting for 37% and 21% of its total French
stores. In Brazil, 18 hypermarkets out of a total of 102 stores have been
updated since the programme was launched. Renovations began in other
countries as well, particularly in China.
Since Carmila was established, in which Carrefour owns a 42% stake,
hypermarket renovation and modernisation projects have occurred in
conjunction with those underway at adjoining shopping centres, the aim
being to improve the consistency and efficacy of the retail ecosystem.
1.5
Intellectual property
Carrefour owns a number of international brands. The national product brands are the property of the subsidiary which uses them.
Carrefour Legal department registers and renews brands, monitors them and defends Carrefour’s rights against any third parties.