Carrefour announces focus on climate and purchasing power

French retailer Carrefour has announced its Strategic Plan 2026, which heavily emphasises cost cuttings and a stronger focus on discount formats and private labels. At the same time, the group will invest in e-commerce and sustainability.

Discount concepts

Carrefour CEO Alexandre Bompard presented his Strategic Plan 2026 today, featuring solid cost savings – to the tune of four billion euros by 2026. They go hand in hand with increased investments to meet the major challenges ahead: the annual investment budget goes from 1.7 to 2 billion euros. Those challenges, first and foremost, are purchasing power and climate.

The retailer will increase its focus on private brands: these should account for 40 % of food sales in 2026 (compared to 33 % today). The group will also increase its focus on discount formats: in Brazil, discount retailer Atacadão will grow from 270 to 470 stores and – remarkably – a first Atacadão will open in France in autumn 2023. The group’s other discount format, Supeco, also continues to grow – especially in Spain.

Hypermarkets and proximity

In its hypermarkets, Carrefour will simplify product ranges. The range in food products is shrinking by 20 %: this should improve shelf readability. In non-food, the fixed offer will even shrink by 40 %. There will be significantly more in/out promotions.

Carrefour remains strongly committed to franchise proximity formats, with 2400 openings planned. 90 % of all shop openings in Europe will be franchise shops. At the same time, a number of existing shops will be franchised. The retailer plans international expansion into ten new markets in Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. E-commerce should reach ten billion euros in sales by 2026.

Suppliers need to get on board

To tackle the climate transition, Carrefour wants to halve food waste in shops b 2025 (compared to 2016). By that deadline, all private label packaging must be reusable, recyclable or compostable. Four out of every five leaflets will be digitised. Energy consumption must decrease by a fifth, and at the same time the company envisages 4.5 million sqm of solar panels on its car parks by 2026.

In addition, Carrefour is increasing its commitment to sustainable agriculture and is launching a new sustainable proximity store format in France called “Potager City”.

Climate neutrality by 2040 remains the goal. The 100 largest suppliers have to get on board: like Carrefour itself, they have to commit to a “1.5° trajectory” by 2026. Those that do not comply, will be removed from the shelves altogether.

Real estate and media

The group will simplify its internal organisation, so it can better realise these plans. As Carrefour will cooperate more closely at European level, jobs will be cut at its headquarters. 50 % of food purchases will be realised through the recently established purchasing centre Eureca, while even 70 % of non-food purchases will be centralised.

Carrefour wants to generate additional income from making better use of its real estate assets. A hundred sites were selected to have housing, offices or commercial premises built around them. Carrefour’s Brazilian real estate division will become the largest private real estate company in South America. Retail media are another source of income: through a joint venture with media group Publicis, Carrefour aims to become the market leader in both Europe and Latin America.