€1.5bn bid to revamp Carrefour

STORES giant Carrefour is to spend €1.5 billion to modernise and rebrand 500 of its hypermarkets across Europe as Carrefour Planet, after being hit by falling sales of nearly five per cent.

France is its main market and 245 stores will get €4.2 million facelifts to create a new bazaar feel and a new look, with L’Oréal make-up stands, fashion areas and a leisure/multimedia zone with an Apple store or a Virgin Megastore onsite.

The new lay-out is intended to be more customer-friendly and sees a main entrance aisle with fresh produce market, an organic area, frozen food, fashion, baby, house and leisure/multimedia. There will also be a crèche.

Household appliances have been dropped owing to competition from specialist stores and instead fortnightly seasonal events, based on the model of the Foire aux Vins, will be held.

Elsewhere, executive director James McCann has improved the stocking efficiency by introducing techniques from his former employers at Tesco.