Carrefour's Italian branch has signed two franchise agreements with Apulia Distribuzione and Etruria Retail, which will allow the French retailer to expand its presence in central and southern Italy.
This measure facilitates the consolidation of the Carrefour Market and Carrefour Express networks in the Calabria, Basilicata, and Apulia regions, as well as strengthening the retailer's presence in the Tuscany and Umbria regions.
As a result, on January 1, 2020, 546 new stores will be added to the 1.085 that make up the current Carrefour Italy sales network.
However, some of Etruria Retail's franchised stores will retain the La Bottega brand.
The two agreements pave the way for synergies at the purchasing level, allowing Apulia Distribuzione and Etruria Retail to access Carrefour Italy's purchasing conditions and distribute Carrefour brand products.
The agreements are also part of Carrefour's transformation plan for 2022, announced in early 2018. The retailer plans to invest €400 million in Italy, with a significant focus on e-commerce and small and medium-sized stores.
