PARIS: The French urban food distribution market in the hands of very few companies: the Paris area is a perfect example.
The retailer Casino (operating under small supermarkets brands Franprix, Monoprix, Leader Price et Petit Casino) owns 60 percent of the market share in Paris, while its main competitor Carrefour barely owns 20 percent of the market.
The slowdown of sales in hypermarkets (too far, price of petrol increasing) is pushing big retailers to increase their activities in the smaller supermarket business in city centres.
Monoprix started its Monop’ smaller supermarkets in 2005 and is creating more stores.
Its co-owner, Casino, is developing its smaller supermarkets brand Petit Casino in cities but has also a brand in smaller villages in the country side (Vival).
Carrefour is extending its networks of Carrefour City, Carrefour Express et Carrefour Contact, and all major players are following: U Express, Leclerc Express, Intermarché Contact and Intermarché Express.
Last week, French retailer Auchan has decided to launch a new brand of supermarkets called “A 2 Pas” in Paris, and is looking at creating 50 stores from now on to 2015 in the Paris region.
These stores are adapting to consumer’s habits and are taking in healthier, different and more expensive food products.
Source: Les Echos
