Auchan spends EUR 40 mln on Targu Mures hypermarket

The hypermarket has a sales area of 8,500 sqm and 1,600 parking spaces. According to the company, the new retail center is the anchor of a bigger local commercial project European Retail Park, comprising 100 shops and restaurants, a Baumax center, Media Galaxy spot and a furniture shop.
“The opening at Targu Mures marks the expansion of our chain on the Romanian market in order to spur stronger competition on the local market,” said Regis Mougel, general director of Auchan Romania.
The expansion policies of Auchan Romania include opening three to four hypermarkets per year. This is the third opening since Auchan first entered the Romanian market in 1996. The company plans other openings for 2007, in Cluj-Napoca and Pitesti, followed by two projects for 2008, in Constanta and Timisoara.
Auchan Romania is operated by MGV Distri-Hiper, where the French Group owns 29 percent of the business, the rest being covered by Romanian partners.
The company reported earnings of EUR 19 million for 2006 while the entire group registered a turnover of EUR 41 billion in 2006 for all the locations.

Magda Purice