Carrefour pioneering sustainability, innovation, impact

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.