France: Auchan Direct aims to exceed Amazon

13.10.2016

France: Auchan Direct aims to exceed Amazon
Challenges, 13 Oct 2016, p.64:-
Auchan Direct intends to become the leading operator with regards daily shopping in France, thus bypassing Amazon, in 2021. To achieve this aim, the delivery subsidiary of French mass retail group Auchan has opened the first 100% automated food warehouse in France, a 22,000m² building in Chilly-Mazarin dubbed Paris 300. It required a EUR 30mn (USD 33.70mn) investment. It will have 12,000 products available in one month, and 16,000 in the spring of 2017. Furthermore, it aims to shorten delivery delays. Currently, an order made before 1pm is delivered on the next day. Soon, the delivery delay will be shortened to six hours, and in 2017, to one hour if possible, like Amazon. Auchan Direct is now considering setting up lockers and will quickly modernise its three warehouses outside of the Paris region. Auchan Direct currently generates a EUR 120mn turnover and has 150,000 active customers per year.
©M-Brain