FRANCE. More details have emerged of the partnership between Lagardère Travel Retail and Carrefour, which has been awarded a wide-ranging contract by rail station operator SNCF Gares & Connexions to open approximately 150 food stores in stations across France by 2030.
The contract, which follows an open tender, is designed to meet a key SNCF Gares & Connexions priority to simplifying the daily lives of travellers and local residents while addressing their shopping needs.
As part of its ‘Place de la Gare’ (Station Square) initiative, SNCF is rolling out what it described as “practical, community-centered services” in the hearts of cities and towns.
This approach includes a new commercial offering for station customers, centered on a local food service that will allow travellers to do their shopping during their commute, helping save time in their daily routines.
Through this contract, Lagardère Travel Retail and Carrefour plan to open around 30 outlets annually over five years in stations of various sizes across France where space is available and no nearby supermarkets currently exist.
The future station stores will feature two offerings:
- Food stores ranging from 80sq m to 400sq m under the Carrefour brand.
- Online order pick-up points.
Additionally, two innovative new concepts will be trialled:
- Potager City: A distribution concept offering fresh fruit, vegetables, and local produce.
- Api: Self-service mini-markets.
The first Carrefour stores in stations under the new agreement are expected to open by the end of the year.
Lagardère Travel Retail Chairman and CEO Dag Rasmussen said: “It is with great enthusiasm and shared ambition that we embark on this new partnership with Carrefour after winning the tender organized by SNCF Gares & Connexions.
“This project showcases our expertise in high-traffic retail locations, backed by a comprehensive portfolio of leading brands. It also illustrates our shared commitment: to offer millions of travellers and local residents a modern, local retail experience with quality products and services, transforming stations into true hubs of activity that meet the needs of an increasingly mobile world.
“This a great example of our commitment to sustainable, high-quality local retail.”
Marlène Dolveck, CEO of SNCF Gares & Connexions and Deputy CEO of the SNCF Group in charge of Transformation commented: “Through this partnership with Carrefour and Lagardère Travel Retail, we are going even further in simplifying the daily lives of travelers by offering a new network of food stores across all regions. This aligns with the goal of Place de la Gare: to make stations more convenient, useful and enjoyable, while encouraging people to take the train.”
Carrefour Group Chairman and CEO Alexandre Bompard added: “We are thrilled to have won, in partnership with Lagardère Travel Retail, the call for tender launched by SNCF. This achievement is a testament to the excellent work of our teams and the attractiveness of our franchise model. It is also a sign of the vitality.” ✈
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