Carrefour Sales Decline 1.5% in Third Quarter

PARIS, France (November 27) - Carrefour saw its group sales decline by 1.5% to € 18,936 million in its third quarter, which ended on September 30, compared with the same period one year earlier. Carrefour is the biggest bicycle selling Hypermarket chain in Europe. Bicycle sales are estimated at about one million units annually, including sales in Eastern European countries. With its Topbike private label range Carrefour is France’s biggest bicycle and P&A seller in the low-end category. Regarding Carrefour’s overall bicycle sales in France; the Hypermarket chain holds the number two position (after Decathlon) with an annual sales estimated at about 350,000 units. In France third quarter sales rose 2.4% to € 9,783 million; in Europe outside France sales rose 8.4% to € 6,517 million. The Americas had a 42.3% downfall to € 1,378 million, while Asia third quarter sales decreased 1.4% to € 1,258 million. In the first nine months of this year Carrefour group sales declined 1.5% as well to € 55,917 billion. Of these France reported a 1.5% increase to € 28,441 million, while Europe outside France climbed 6.7% to € 18,784 million. The Americas first nine months sales shrank 34.1% to € 4,930 million and Asia rose 2.7% to € 3,761 million. Consolidated sales reached € 78 billion in 2001, of which 49.3% was made in France, 31.5% in the rest of Europe, 12.9% in the Americas and 6.3% in Asia. During the period under review Carrefour opened 16 hypermarkets, 9 supermarkets and 50 hard-discount stores in France, Greece, Poland, Czech Republic, Turkey, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, China, South Korea and Thailand. Overall Carrefour operates 5,424 stores, of which are 688 hypermarkets (59.2% of sales), 1,432 supermarkets (19.8%), 3,050 hard discount stores (6.4%, 87 convenience stores and 167 Cash & Carry stores (14.6%). Carrefour employs a 383,000 staff. (FN)