Carrefour launches first Atacadão in Europe

A Brazilian cash-and-carry concept known for competitive pricing and volume discounts.

Carrefour has introduced its first Atacadão store in France, a Brazilian cash-and-carry concept known for competitive pricing and volume discounts. This marks its debut in Aulnay-sous-Bois, a suburb north of Paris, utilizing a former hypermarket space spanning nearly 10,000 sqm.

Pricing strategy and market positioning

• Atacadão aims to undercut traditional hypermarket prices by 10 to 15%, catering to both professional and private customers.

• The store offers discounts based on purchasing volume, encouraging bulk buying with reduced unit costs.

• Customers can sel ect from approximately 20,000 items, including 3,000 Carrefour private label products, with a focus on food items and some non-food goods like gardening supplies. Around 70% of the items are sourced locally fr om French suppliers.

Operational approach

Atacadão adopts a cost-effective retail strategy by selling products directly from pallets and minimizing advertising expenses. Stock is delivered directly to the store by suppliers, further reducing operational costs.

Carrefour plans to evaluate the initial performance of the Aulnay-sous-Bois store before expanding further, underscoring its cautious approach to market expansion. 

“We are convinced of the potential of this shop format, but we will analyse the first results before expanding the concept,” commented a company spokesperson.