Strategic renewal at Auchan

You took over the management of Auchan Magyarország in the spring of 2025. How did you develop the new strategy and what goals did you set?

Géza Vincze,
CEO of Auchan Magyarország

– In the spring of 2025 a team of 50 experts was put together to develop a 7-year strategy that would put the company on a sustainable growth path. Our objective is to build a nationwide store network based on multiple store formats and to triple the chain’s turnover by 2032.

What are the cornerstones that will determine your operations over the next 3-5 years?

– The first pillar of our strategy is the repositioning of supermarkets and hypermarkets, the second is expansion, and the third is the implementation of digital and efficiency improvements.

Where do you see Auchan’s real competitive edge on the domestic market?

Auchan Magyarország currently operates 19 hypermarkets, 2 large superstores, 3 supermarkets, a fully automated Auchan GO unit (which is currently running as an innovation test project), and 19 gas stations. Plus we serve our customers with nationwide online retail. Our goal is to seamlessly guide customers between different formats.

Have customer loyalty and trust also become key issues?

„In the initial period, the focus was on stabilizing the organization and establishing a shared foundation for the strategy”

Based on preliminary data for 2025, Auchan Magyarország’s turnover grew to HUF 542bn and customer satisfaction is already reflected in the figures. This is largely due to the Loyalty Card loyalty programme, which already has more than one million active participants.

The store as a value-creating place has always been a central idea in your career. How does this approach manifest itself in the new strategy?

– The first pillar of the growth strategy is the renewal of the existing 19 Auchan hypermarkets. Our goal is to optimise the sales area and restructure the product selection – the emphasis on food and seasonal offerings will increase.

In what other directions are you planning to develop your formats?

– We are thinking in terms of four formats and modernising our hypermarkets in the manner just mentioned. Smaller, compact hypermarkets will serve the needs of urban residents. Supermarkets and the smallest stores – convenience stores with 70-150m² floor space – will bring us closer to all customers nationwide. The new openings will take place in several phases from 2027.

The role of digital channels and online orders is strengthening. Would you share with us what services have you launched in this area?

In the coming years we are going to develop a multi-channel model that is consistently based on customer needs and provides nationwide coverage. We have recently added a new convenience feature to our online sales: we have launched our Auchan CoolBox refrigerated and frozen parcel locker service at three downtown locations.

The third pillar is digitalisation and efficiency improvement, which many companies are currently planning to implement. What steps will Auchan take in this area?

„By this time next year, my plan is that we’ll be discussing how both the numbers and the customer feedback confirm that we — and our new strategy — were right”

– We are revamping our mobile app and supporting our purchasing, inventory management, and operational processes with the system-wide application of AI.

 A year from now what results or milestones would make you say that the new strategy has really started to work?

– Auchan is adapting to the transforming market, while retaining the strengths of the hypermarket model. Shoppers appreciate the improvements we have made and our results are getting better. The recognition and appreciation of our employees is also very important, as they can do the most to enhance the customer experience. (x)