Carrefour is the largest retailer in Europe and the second largest in the world. With over 10,000 stores in 34 countries, the French supermarket chain employs nearly 365,000 people. In 2014, the retailer saw sales increase by 3.9%, reaching 84 billion Euro. In the fourth quarter alone, sales increased by 4.1%, to 22.6 billion Euro.
Although Carrefour has a global network, with presence in Brazil since 1975 and in China since 1995, Europe, and especially France, still accounts for most of its sales, with about 55% of them in France. The company had 4,779 stores in France in 2013, and another 3,945 in the rest of Europe. In Asia and Latin America, Carrefour had a total of 393 and 762 stores, respectively. The remaining 226 stores were in the Maghreb, the Middle East and the Dominican Republic.
Good fourth quarterInternationally, i.e. outside the French domestic market, sales in the fourth quarter of 2014 increased by 6.6%, with marked improvements in Latin America and Europe. The total turnover from international operations amounted to more than 12 billion Euro. In France, the supermarket chain also grew, but to a lower extent. Sales in the domestic market stood at 10.5 billion Euro. Total revenue for this quarter amounted to 22.6 billion dollars.
Carrefour's total revenue in 2014 amounted to 84 billion Euro, an increase of 3.9%. In France, the turnover reached approximately 39.7 billion, a growth of 1.2%. International sales grew by 5.9% to more than 44 billion Euro.
Growth Brazilian market
In France, hypermarkets yielded most of the turnover, with 21.6 billion Euro. Supermarkets accounted for more than 13 billion Euro, and other store formats generated about 4.7 billion Euro. Despite other store format sales being the smallest, they registered the biggest growth (+6.6%). Hypermarkets and supermarkets grew by 0.1 and 1.2%, respectively.
International revenue is largely achieved in Europe (excluding France). The continent accounts for 21.7 billion Euro in turnover. In 2014, however, sales in this area dropped by 0.3%. Latin America, on the other hand, registered a sharp growth in sales. In 2014, Carrefour made 15.5 billion Euro, up 18.1%. Brazil is the market where the retailer grew the most, with turnover increasing by 11.9%. Sales in Asia dropped by 1.8% to just over 7 billion Euro.