Carrefour

1960-1963

1963-1966

1966-1972

1972-1980

1980-1982

1982-2009

2009-Present

Austria – In 1976 Carrefour opened a store in the at the southern edge of Vienna. Due to limited success, the store closed soon after. Carrefour has not made any other attempt at entering the Austrian market after that.

Shopping City Süd

Bulgaria – From 2009 to 2011 Bulgaria opened eight locations (five hypermarkets and three supermarkets) in , Plovdiv, Pleven, Varna, Burgas and Ruse. In 2010, Carrefour and Marinopoulos Group, the largest retail group in Greece, established a franchise company MSC Bulgaria to develop hypermarkets and supermarkets under the Carrefour banner within Southeastern Europe. In June 2016 the owner of the franchise for Bulgaria declared bankruptcy and the stores were closed.

Sofia

Chile – Carrefour opened six supermarkets in between 1998 and 2003. However, Carrefour never surpassed a 3% market share in the country and their assets in Chile were sold to D&S in 2003.^[62]

Santiago de Chile

China – Carrefour entered China in 1995. In 2007, Carrefour opened 22 stores in China – where the company broke its record for store openings in a one-year period. It was the leading foreign retailer in terms of sales figures, until 2008 and has since lost its No. 1 position in China to . In 2019, Carrefour sold 80% equity of Carrefour China to local retail comglomorate Suning.com at €620 million, marking the company's exit from China.^[63]

Walmart

Colombia – In October 2012, Carrefour sold all 72 stores in Colombia to Chilean retailer for $2.6  billion, with Cencosud converting all existing Carrefour hypermarkets to its Jumbo and Metro brands. Carrefour pulled out of Colombia to focus on its core markets.^[64]

Cencosud

Cyprus – In 2017, all of the Carrefour stores were sold to a Greek supermarket brand and underwent a major rebranding, to reflect the brand that now owns the stores.

Sklavenitis

Czech Republic – In September 2005, Carrefour sold eleven stores in the Czech Republic to , the largest UK retailer. Tesco paid €57.4  million as well as its stores in Taiwan. Carrefour opened its first store in 1998 in the Czech Republic. The stores use the Tesco name and brand now.

Tesco

Germany – The only store in Germany was opened in 1977 in as a joint venture with Delhaize le Lion and German retailer Stüssgen (later part of REWE Group). Due to problems with a new building permit process and the associated difficulties in opening new locations, the store was sold in 1979 to the German retailer Massa.^[65]

Mainz-Bretzenheim

Hong Kong – On 18 September 2000,^[67] Carrefour closed its stores in Hong Kong after complaints from manufacturers about selling products (especially electronics) at prices far below those of its competitors.^[68] A company spokesman said at that time that the closures were due to "difficulties in finding sites suitable for developing its hypermarket concept and quickly acquiring a significant market share". Carrefour entered the Hong Kong market in December 1996 with a store in Heng Fa Chuen and later added stores in Tsuen Wan (Skyline Plaza), Tuen Mun, Yuen Long and Tsim Sha Tsui. Plans to open additional stores in Ma On Shan, Tseung Kwan O and Yau Tsim Mong had been cancelled.^[67]

[66]

India – Carrefour operated stores in India under the name Carrefour Wholesale Cash & Carry. The first store opened on 30 December 2010 in Shahdara, Delhi.^[69] This was followed by a store in Jaipur in late 2011 and one in Meerut in October 2012, Agra in December 2013. Prior to September 2012, India's foreign direct investment (FDI) policy did not allow foreign companies to open multi-brand retail stores in the country. However, 100% FDI in cash-and-carry has been permitted since 1997. As a result, most global retailers, including Carrefour, opted for the cash-and-carry route in India. A new FDI policy, allowing up to 51% FDI in multi-brand retail, came into effect on 20 September 2012.^[70][71] On 8 July 2014, Carrefour announced that it would shut down its Indian operations and close its five wholesale stores by the end of September.^[72]

cash and carry

Indonesia – The first Carrefour branch in Indonesia opened on 14 October 1998 in region of Jakarta, following the end of 1997 Asian financial crisis and the subsequent fall of Suharto. In 2012, after operating independently, Carrefour Indonesia was bought by CT Corp and its shares are owned by Chairul Tanjung.^[73][74] CT Corp developed Transmart in 2014, a subsidiary of CT Corp operated by PT Trans Retail Indonesia (formerly PT Carrefour Indonesia, PT Contimas Utama Indonesia, PT Cartisa Properti Indonesia and PT Carti Satria Megaswalayan) and named after CT Corp's television networks Trans TV.^[75] It also developed Groserindo, a grocery store also largely operated by Carrefour.^[76] Carrefour officially left the nation in 2020, and CT Corp rebranded all remaining branches as Transmart.^[77]

Cempaka Putih

Japan – In 1999 Carrefour's Japanese subsidiary, Carrefour Japan Co. Ltd., opened. The first Carrefour in Japan opened in a suburb of Tokyo in December 2000. In January and February 2001 new Carrefour stores opened in Tokyo and Osaka. Sales were initially strong, but, as Miki Tanikawa of The New York Times wrote, "...10 months later, there is barely a line for most of the day at cash registers of most Carrefour stores here. Lengthy aisles of goods ranging from clothes to bicycles are mostly empty."^[79] In early 2003, Carrefour sold its 8 hypermarkets to AEON Group and on 10 March 2005, the subsidiary's name changed to AEON Marché Co., Ltd.^[78] The stores were still operated in the Carrefour name until 31 March 2010, when the license expired.^[80]

[78]

Kazakhstan – In the summer of 2017, the one and only Carrefour hypermarket closed down in as a result of the loss of value of the Tenge currency.

Almaty

Malaysia – Carrefour entered Malaysia in 1994 and sold its 26 hypermarkets to in November 2012.^[81] The hypermarkets was rebranded as AEON BIG, and operates with an orange logo, compared to the magenta logo used by its parent company and existing JUSCO stores in the country. The outlets in Kota Damansara and Jalan Ipoh were the first to be changed from Carrefour to AEON BIG;^[82]

AEON Group

Mexico – In March 2005, Carrefour sold its 29 hypermarkets in Mexico to . Carrefour opened its first store in 1994 in Mexico;

Chedraui

North Macedonia – In October 2012, Carrefour opened its first store in . The store was part of the brand City Mall that opened the same day in Skopje. By the end of summer 2014, there were plans to open the second store in Tetovo. Carrefour shut down operations in North Macedonia because of debt.^[83]

Skopje

Portugal – Carrefour entered Portugal by buying its first stores in 1991 – two hypermarkets in Telheiras (a neighbourhood of Lisbon) and Vila Nova de Gaia. In July 2007 Carrefour sold all of its 12 hypermarkets and 9 fuel stations to Sonae for €662  million. Also included were 11 licenses for opening new commercial spaces. Currently, only 365 hard-discount supermarkets such as Minipreço are supported by Carrefour in Portugal, not included in the takeover.

Euromarché

Russia – Carrefour entered the Russian market in the summer of 2009. In October 2009, only a month after it opened its second hypermarket in the country, Carrefour announced it was exiting Russia.

Singapore – In 2012, Carrefour's stores were primarily replaced by Giant Hyper () and Cold Storage.

Suntec City

Slovakia – In 2018, Carrefour pulled out of the Slovak market, after 17 years of operation in the country.

[84]

South Korea – Carrefour entered the Korean market in 1996 with their first store in and operated 32 stores across the country at its peak in its final year, 2006. Carrefour was confident they would dominate the market, and by 1999 invested a total of $925 million USD into the Korean venture – more than any other foreign company in the Korean market at that time. Carrefour Korea enjoyed mediating success initially, gaining traction for unseen low prices and standing above its competitors. But the rise quickly ended when the Asian Financial Crisis struck South Korea in late 1997. Carrefour's reputation suffered a blow when they were exposed smuggling real estate in South Korea to international recipients. Alongside the reluctance of people spending in the midst of the financial crisis, boycotts ensued, beginning Carrefour's eventual demise. Complaints of Carrefour Korea's poor service quality grew, citing pushing products unfit for the Korean market and significantly soured relationships between the executives and the labour unions. With the company's attitude becoming reckless to its clients and suppliers, clients would boycott again while suppliers began refusing association with Carrefour Korea. With the company stained with controversial negativity, Carrefour Korea sold all their stores to E-Land and exited the Korean market in April 2006. Shortly after, E-Land sold their supermarket asset to Homeplus, recognized as Carrefour Korea's spiritual successor.^[85]

Bucheon

Switzerland – In August 2007 Carrefour sold its 12 hypermarkets in Switzerland to Swiss retailer for $390  million;^[86]

Coop

Syria – Carrefour previously opened a store in in Aleppo in 2009^[87] and operated until the mall was destroyed during the Syrian Civil War on 16 October 2014 when the mall was destroyed and permanently closed.^[88]

Shahba Mall

Thailand – Carrefour's business in Thailand was sold to Supercenter Public Company Limited, the owner of Big C hypermarket stores in Thailand, due to complaints. The transaction was completed in March 2011, with the Suwinthawong branch being the first store converted from Carrefour to Big C.^[89] Carrefour entered the Thai market in 1996.

Big C

United Kingdom – Carrefour opened the first of several hypermarkets in the UK in September 1972 in , South Wales, in a joint partnership with a UK company Wheatsheaf and Distribution & Trading Ltd, followed by stores at the Telford Centre, Chandler's Ford, Minworth, Patchway and Swindon.^[90] The Dee Corporation later acquired the stores in the early 1980s; they continued to trade under the Carrefour name, while some other existing smaller sites were rebranded as Carrefour. In the 1980s, new stores were opened at the MetroCentre in Tyne and Wear, and the Merry Hill Shopping Centre in the West Midlands, before being rebranded under the now-defunct Gateway chain in 1988. In 1990, the stores were sold to Asda. The initial Caerphilly store was redeveloped in the 1990s; however, the original 1970s hypermarkets at Chandler's Ford, Minworth and Patchway (Cribbs Causeway) still exist as large Asda Supercentres.^[91] Since July 2011, online supermarket Ocado has sold a range of Carrefour products in the UK.^[92]

Caerphilly

United States – Carrefour opened its first hypermarket in the United States in , Pennsylvania, in March 1988, across from the Franklin Mills shopping mall (now Philadelphia Mills). Despite the large selection, the store was generally derided for its poor conditions, and most of the time, many of the 61 checkout lanes in the store were deserted. In 1992, another location opened in Voorhees Township, New Jersey. Both stores closed because of financial debt in 1993. The Voorhees store was broken up into many smaller stores, while the Philadelphia location became a Walmart and a Dick's Sporting Goods.

Philadelphia

Uzbekistan - Carrefour previously opened hypermarkets in Uzbekistan on 2021, which were franchised by Majid Al-Futtaim, however all stores in Uzbekistan closed in 2023.

Vietnam – Carrefour had two stores at until 2004. The stores were later converted into Lotte Mart branches.

Ho Chi Minh City

(as Carrefour Mobile);

Belgium

(as Carrefour Mobile);

France

(as Carrefour Móvil);

Spain

(as 1Mobile, also known as UNO Mobile or Carrefour UNO Mobile);

Italy

(as Carrefour Mobile);

Greece

(as Carrefour Mova Mobile);

Poland

(as Carrefour Mobile).

Brazil

Groupe Casino

Companies of France

European Retail Round Table

List of companies of France

List of hypermarkets

Carrefour Marinopoulos

Official website

Yahoo! – Carrefour SA Company Profile

The history-book of Yves Soulabail, , Le Loup Hurlant Editions, 2010.

Carrefour Un combat pour la liberté