Spain successfully tests Carrefour's Planet

The two major hypermarkets converted to the new concept show encouraging results. Discover the latest Planet Crossroads, reopened this week near Madrid.
At Carrefour, we cross our fingers that French consumers are inspired by their Spanish neighbors and flock to Planet Crossroads. The new concept has allowed the two hypermarkets in El Pinar and Mostoles (Madrid suburbs) respectively to earn 2.7 points and 2 points of market share in one year on their catchment areas: "It was not happened a long time, especially not in such proportions, "says Pascal Clouzard, executive director of Spain. In four pilot stores in six (Mont St Jean, El Pinar, Mostoles, Vénissieux), those considered "closest to the final design, the results are encouraging: Traffic and sales have increased by 9 , 9%.
Expectations are high for the store of Alcobendas, located on the outskirts of Madrid in Spain by the first Carrefour turnover (177 million for 14,000 square meters), which has adopted the latest concept. "This Planet is now the most successful," said Lars Olofsson, Executive Director of the group, which has obviously eager to deploy the concept in France, where he supervised live activity last week. The successful deployment in Europe, for which a budget of 1.5 billion euros is expected, will primarily depend on the success of the IPO of Carrefour Property, which the group has carried forward.
Introduction of a discount universe
Alcobendas, with its bar, its important fish department and its new POS system is not a typical example of the Planet. "Each store will be tailored to regional and local habits," insists Prioux Noel, Executive Director Europe. A novelty of this shop will however be retained for the entire fleet introduction of a discount world, absent from the pilot stores, which includes all food off the shelves fruits and vegetables, fresh dairy products and frozen sub-label and national brands Carrefour. This space is defined clearly identifiable by its high gondolas.
"What was most lacking in the hyper, what are the services," adds Noel Prioux, listing those available in the store to Alcobendas, including beauty tips, hairdresser, nursery, Internet terminals and a Drive. With the Planet, Carrefour tries above all to provide the best convenience stores - the ultra-fresh, locally as specialty stores. "In the department devoted to electronics for example, we offer the latest brands (high-margin, ie) next to brand products or promotional materials," says Lars Olofsson. One way to provide a wider choice, while remaining faithful to the promise of the hypermarket.
Opening of Planet Ulis this week
"The spirit of Planet with 9 spaces (fresh, home, beauty, fashion, baby, multimedia, bio, frozen and events) or its wide fairways will be the same in the 241 planets we will open by mid 2013 ' said the CEO. Over a third (98) should have opened their doors at the end of this year. Forty will be in Spain, which will have been 15 next month Planet, against only 6 in France (Les Ulis next week). Spain took the lead in the revolution that Carrefour has decided in autumn 2010 to "re-enchant its hypermarkets" in Western Europe (50% of group turnover), who lost, "the last decade, all year 1.7% of turnover per square meter, "says Jose Carlos Gonzalez Hurtado, Executive Director of Business Development.