Auchan to spend 80 million EUR in Romania

French retailer plans for 2008 two hypermarkets, for the next year another 8 sites.

 Auchan entered to the Romanian market
in 2006 and had invested 300 million euros in five hypermarkets in
Targu Mures, Cluj Napoca, Bucuresti, Timisoara and Pitesti. The
managment estimates the Romanian retail market is still expanding and
could mature in 2011-12, when the number of hypermarkets in the
entire country could reach 120-140. Auchan Romania concluded last
year with revenues of 137 million EUR, compared to 19 million EUR two
years ago. Losses decreassed from 4 million EUR in 2006 to 1 million
EUR in 2007.