AUCHAN LAUNCHES NEW INITIATIVES IN EASTERN EUROPE
As it looks to expand its global strategy into more markets, French supermarket chain Auchan has launched new initiatives in Poland and Romania.
Auchan is trialling the selling of second-hand branded products at five stores in Poland. The areas, which are branded ‘New Life by Auchan’, are aimed at helping the retailer and shoppers operate more sustainably and is based on circular economy principles.
Products are priced between €1.55 and €7.80 and, therefore, offer strong value for money, which supports Auchan’s wider affordability messaging in the country. The retailer has said that if successful, the trial and ranges could be extended to further stores in the country.
Gerard Gallet, Auchan Poland’s President has discussed the retailer’s outlook and how it is focusing on its strategy of delivering good, healthy and local food through all its channels of operations: hypermarkets (74), supermarkets (34), Moje Auchan franchise stores (five) and BP petrol stations.
Gallet confirmed the retailer was aiming to open 300 Auchan franchise stores, but he pushed back the target year to 2025, from 2022 previously.
He said the need to push back the target comes as Auchan, which announced the target in 2019, had only reached 10 stores by April 2021. In the short term, Auchan Poland will look to grow its e-commerce sales, shorten its delivery times for orders and improve its availability. Improvements to delivery times will be aided by the retailer’s partnership with Glovo, with the service available at more than 60 stores presently.
Auchan to open a restaurant in Bucharest
Auchan has invested around €1 million in a restaurant, which is branded La Masa, in the Bucur Obor shopping centre in Bucharest. It is the second restaurant that Auchan has opened in the country, following the addition of a similar concept in the Auchan in Baia Mare’s shopping complex.
The 280sq m site is divided into three areas: a ground floor with seating for 110 people, a mezzanine that has seating for 56 people alongside a children’s playground, and an outside area of 210sq m with further seating. The restaurant will sell more than 150 traditional and fast-food options across the three dayparts, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The retailer will also make the dishes available for delivery through third party delivery firms Glovo and Takeaway.com.
Jon Wright, Head of Insight for EMEA at RetailAnalysis, said: “The opportunity for shoppers to have a delivery from La Masa comes after Glovo and Auchan extended their partnership to include meals prepared in the latter’s hypermarkets in the country.
“From the end of April, shoppers in Romania have been able to order from a range of more than 60 dishes including soups, broths, salads, desserts, and non-alcoholic drinks prepared in Auchan’s restaurants in 18 cities. The retailer has said all dishes are prepared daily using fresh ingredients.
“Deliveries are made in 40 minutes of the order being placed and cost between (€0.40) and (€1.20) depending on the city and the distance shoppers are away from the store.”
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