Carrefour reports 4.2 rise in total Q2 sales

During the first half of 2015, sales at Carrefour were 42.3 billion euros (46 billion dollars), up 5 percent in total and up 2.9 percent on an organic basis. In the second quarter sales stood at 21.4 billion euros (23.3 billion dollars), up 4.2 percent in total and up 2.6 percent on an organic basis on an already strong comparable base in 2014.

In the second quarter, France recorded total growth ex petrol of 5.5 percent (including the DIA stores). Organic growth was 1.1 percent on a strong 2014 comparable base. Organic sales at hypermarkets were up by 0.7 percent and LFL sales were up 0.5 percent. Sales at supermarkets were up 1 percent on an organic basis. LFL sales were up 1.2 percent. Organic sales in convenience and other formats continued to grow, increasing by 2.5 percent.

Organic sales in international markets were up by 3.8 percent and by 2.3 percent on like-for-like basis. Organic sales in other European countries were broadly stable but like-for-like sales in Spain posted a strong performance, with sales growing by 2.8 percent in the second quarter. Like-for-like sales in Italy were down by 5 percent on a challenging comparable base, marked by a big promotional campaign linked to the football world cup in the second quarter of 2014. Like-for-like sales in Belgium were stable on an equally strong comparable base in 2014, were down in Poland and continued to grow in Romania. Organic sales in Latin America were up by 14.6 percent. In Brazil, organic sales were up by 11.4 percent and 7.1 percent on like-for-like basis.

Organic sales in Argentina were up by 25.9 percent, of which 23.1 percent on like-for-like basis. In Asia, total sales were up 13 percent, including a positive currency effect. Organic sales were down 8.6 percent. In China, in a slowing consumption environment, sales were down 11.4 percent on an organic basis and 12.3 percent on like-for-like basis. In Taiwan, sales grew for the second consecutive quarter, both like-for-like and on an organic basis sale grew 2.1 percent and 1.4 percent respectively.

In Q2 2015, Carrefour opened or acquired 354 stores. Net of disposals or closures, the network added 225 stores in Q2 2015, bringing the total network to 11,910 stores at the end of June.