Carrefour, the world's second largest retailer, is rebranding its Express stores across the UAE to ‘Carrefour Market’ with the emphasis moving from basic grocery items to fresh produce of the highest quality.

With this, Carrefour Express customers across the UAE will notice a positive change in their local supermarkets, said a senior official of the UAE's most dynamic, fast-moving and exciting hypermarket chain.

'Sacks of fresh fruit and vegetables; a wide variety of dairy products; and professional butchers and fishmongers selling the freshest ingredients will be the focal point of the supermarkets,' remarked Franck Rouquet, Carrefour’s supermarket regional manager for the UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait.

'Throughout June and July, Carrefour will be rebranding its 16 Carrefour Express stores across the UAE to ‘Carrefour Market’ supermarkets in order to highlight the range of quality, fresh products to woo customers through the doors,' he added.

Carrefour Market-model, he said, is looking to differentiate itself from other supermarkets in the region by being a practical, weekly shopping destination.

'Our customer demographic is constantly changing and evolving along with their requirements from a local supermarket. The Market-model is already well-established internationally, and we saw an opportunity to introduce it to the GCC, which is a region with huge growth potential for the company,' explained Rouquet.

“In general, customers perceive Carrefour Express as a quick-stop, convenience store where they can purchase a range of basics groceries – but don’t necessarily associate it with fresh ingredients and choice,” he noted.

CarrefourUAE, a joint venture company of Dubai-based Majid Al Futtaim, said the product ranges will be introduced on a store-by-store basis to accommodate the needs of the immediate surrounding community. 

'Produce in-store at Carrefour Market supermarkets will centre on fresh, high-quality food products with bread baked in-store, butchers and fishmongers on hand and daily deliveries straight to the supermarket shelves,' observed Rouquet.

“Customers receive a number of offers and promotions available in the larger Carrefour hypermarkets now at their local neighbourhood supermarket. Carrefour always aims to be the supermarket offering the cheapest prices in the immediate area in which we operate, with the widest variety of products, he added.-TradeArabia News Service