French retail giant Carrefour has indicated that the widely-anticipated launch of a low-cost own label line on its domestic market will take place this summer.
“A low-priced range will be launched this summer,” a spokesperson for the company revealed to just-food.
However, Carrefour has remained tight-lipped about what products will be included in the line, its position in the market and its comparison to Ed, the company’s existing hard discount brand.
“Gilles Petit, executive director Carrefour France, will announce all the details on the launch of this product range… by the end of May,” the spokesperson added.
The launch is one of the company’s key planks to rejuvenate sales in its home market, where it has witnessed lacklustre growth and declining market share.
Lars Olofsson, Carrefour CEO, indicated that the retailer – which has focused its efforts on international expansion for the past several years – will now return its attention to the French market, where regaining ground is an “absolute priority”.
According to one Paris-based analyst, one of Carrefour’s main problems in France is that it is perceived as “too expensive”.
The launch of the line is understood to be one of the ways Carrefour is tackling that image. Further pricing action, discounting and promotional activity is also expected.
