French hypermarket network Carrefour will reach 25-26 operating stores by the end of this year, in the wake of overall investments put at 60-80 million euros, half the value of expansion projects completed by the company last year.

"We will open another 2-3 hypermarkets outside Bucharest by the end of the year," told ZF.ro Christophe Chosson, acquisitions manager for meat products at Carrefour Romania, who attended a seminar organised by Allianceagro.

The cities, which could see Carrefour hypermarkets inaugurated in 2009, include Satu Mare and Deva, according to market information. The French company currently operates 23 hypermarkets on the Romanian market, with the only opening this year being taking place in Bucharest, in the Grand Arena shopping centre in the Berceni district.

The retailer has also announced it had rented three spaces in Winmarkt shopping centres, for expanding the Carrefour Express supermarket network.

Sourse: ZF.ro