Leclerc keeps on growing, aims for Carrefour's throne

Internet pushes sales forward

Leclerc owes its growth mainly to the new Drive concept, allowing
customers to order online and collect their groceries at a convenient
time. These Drives have grown by 159% last year, reaching 2.1% of
Leclerc’s total turnover but accounting for one third of the group’s
total growth. The largest part of the group’s turnover is still obtained
in medium-sized hypermarkets, earning 41.5% of turnover and growing
7.1%.

International sales went up 1.1% to 2.4 billion euro; Leclerc is active
in in neighbouring countries Italy, Portugal and Spain and Eastern
European countries Poland and Slovenia.

Aim for 2015: taking the throne

The French group hopes to grow to a market share of 18.5%, driven by the
difficult economic situation that causes many customers to search for
the lowest prices – Leclerc’s image is far cheaper than market leader
Carrefour’s. The group hopes to see its turnover grow by 4% through
online expansion towards food (opening 106 Drives in 2012) and non-food
(opening a webshop for “cultural products” – starting with books – in
November).

By 2015, Leclerc hopes to take over the French number one position from
Carrefour through its hypermarkets, the increased Drive network reaching
400 stores, the expansion of its “cultural” site towards music and
computer games and various other “specialised concepts”.