Carrefour pioneering sustainability, innovation, impact


February 26, 2024 | By RetailME Bureau

Hani Weiss, Chief Executive Officer, Majid Al Futtaim Retail

In 1995 regional retail conglomerate Majid Al Futtaim introduced Carrefour to the region, securing exclusive rights to operate the retail chain in 30 markets across the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Carrefour focuses on meeting the diverse needs of its customer base by offering omnichannel experiences tailored to the modern consumer.

Carrefour at a Glance:

  • Operates over 470 stores across 15 markets, including the UAE, Armenia, Bahrain, Egypt, Georgia, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Uganda.
  • Enables access to a wide range of quality products at unbeatable prices, maximising value for 770,000 customers daily.
  • Sources 80% of its products from the communities it serves, reinforcing dedication to a sustainable-first local supply chain.
  • Simplifies shopping by offering in-store services including frictionless checkout Scan & Go and Face Pay, a first-of-its-kind biometric solution that enables customers to checkout their cart in seconds with a simple face-scan.

Asked for a word that will be a crucial focus area for Carrefour in 2024, Hani Weiss, Chief Executive Officer, Majid Al Futtaim Retail said, “In 2024, ‘local’ is set to be a strong focus word for us throughout each quarter. This focus is directly linked to our unwavering commitment to local farmers and suppliers, and the surrounding communities in which we operate.”

Brand promise for 2024 & beyond

Offering a deeper view, Weiss also threw light on three areas that will play a major role in Carrefour’s decision-making in 2024 and beyond.

Growth Outlook: Majid Al Futtaim Retail will continue to expand its omnichannel regional leadership, with a focus on growing its core business. The company is looking to revamp customer experiences that meet evolving preferences and respond to market needs.

Food Security Commitments: Carrefour is actively addressing food security challenges in the MENA region by collaborating with international suppliers to ensure a reliable food security ecosystem with proper sanitisation measures and rigorous training. Maintaining high food safety standards through routine testing programmes, Carrefour conducts up to 30,000 lab analyses annually, aligning with its commitment to excellence. In its dedication to curb food waste, Carrefour has partnered with the UAE Food Bank and Replate to donate surplus food. Additionally, Carrefour conducts various food waste campaigns throughout the year, contributing to the MENA’s food security agenda. In a broader context, Majid Al Futtaim is actively contributing to regional food security by launching the Food Innovation Hub to achieve inclusive innovation with scalable impact.

Sustainability Goals: Aligned with the region’s sustainability efforts Majid Al Futtaim has formed a bold and transformative vision for sustainability titled “Dare Today, Change Tomorrow” built on three pillars. “Transforming Lives” is a community centric pillar, aimed at fostering positive change in the communities that Carrefour serves. “Rethinking Resources” is environment-centric, which involves adopting sustainable practices to minimise the company’s carbon footprint, while preserving the planet for future generations. The “Empowering Our People” pillar is rooted in the belief that Carrefour’s people are the driving force behind its decades-long sustainability journey.

Some of Carrefour’s sustainability initiatives include:

  • Pledged a percentage increase of healthier food products in customers’ baskets through the ‘Collaboration for Healthier Lives’ with a strategic aim to decrease food waste by 23% in two years, saving at least 20,000 tons of food through the Food Waste Coalition.
  • Launched the “Choose Better” programme designed to empower, educate and reward customers to shop smarter and live more sustainably through three key pillars: ‘Better for You’, ‘Better for the Planet’ and ‘Better for Communities’.
  • Introduced in-store hydroponic farms; first BIO store in the UAE; and ‘Healthy Kitchen’ featuring a selection of organic, free-from and protein rich products.

Pick up the February edition of IMAGES RetailME to read our annual Food & Grocery Report.

Previous Article Next Article

SHARE

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE /


Naresh Kumar Bhawnani, Founder & Chairman, West Zone Group

“Retail is a people’s business. When building a retail brand or the 

Continue Reading

October 3, 2024 | By RetailME Bureau
Sunil Kumar, CEO, Spinneys

From being one of the first retailers in Dubai to ban single-use 

Continue Reading

October 1, 2024 | By RetailME Bureau
Walid Shabana, Co-founder & CTO, Rabbit

For starters, Rabbit is a growing e-commerce grocery platform in Egypt always 

Continue Reading

September 30, 2024 | By RetailME Bureau
Arunachalam Palaniappan, CTO, Choithrams

In 2024 grocery retail major Choithrams has achieved several milestones underscoring its 

Continue Reading

September 12, 2024 | By RetailME Bureau
#Topshelftalks session at Food Business Forum 2024

Industry pioneers are embracing a comprehensive strategy that integrates consumer insights, digital 

Continue Reading

July 3, 2024 | By Anurima Das
#EdgeOfTomorrow session at Food Business Forum 2024

The regional grocery retail market is evolving fast keeping pace with constantly 

Continue Reading

July 3, 2024 | By Rupkatha B
#CartToCouch session at Food Business Forum 2024

If anything, the Middle East market is excited about quick commerce – 

Continue Reading

July 2, 2024 | By Rupkatha B
#EcoEchoes session at Food Business Forum 2024

From ethical and local sourcing to adopting cutting-edge technologies to curb food 

Continue Reading

July 2, 2024 | By Rupkatha B
#ByteSizedBreakthroughs session at Food Business Forum 2024

The regional grocery retail market is becoming more and more diverse, offering 

Continue Reading

July 2, 2024 | By Rupkatha B

Spinneys, the leading premium fresh food retailer, has announced the opening of 

Continue Reading

June 24, 2024 | By RetailME Bureau

Spinneys has announced the launch of The Kitchen by Spinneys, its first-ever 

Continue Reading

May 20, 2024 | By RetailME Bureau

In a move set to redefine the landscape of the Fast Moving 

Continue Reading

May 16, 2024 | By RetailME Bureau




Download Images RetailME Magazine