Groupe Casino Annual Report 2019

FY2019 Annual Report · Groupe Casino

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2019
Annual
Report

YVES SICOT

SEAFOOD MANAGER

THANK YOU

Since 17 March 2020, Casino Group’s 220,000 employees
in France, Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, Argentina
and the Indian Ocean have rallied to continue supplying
our 11,172 stores and serving millions of customers
every day. They are doing their jobs efficiently, humbly and
professionally, giving a fresh sense of nobility to the trade.
That is what retail is all about. To pay tribute to them,
we are dedicating the first pages of this report, which outline
the changes that took place in 2019, to them. Thank you
to each and every one of you for taking care of our customers.
Every day.

NAOMI NAMIE
KUGUIO DE ALMEIDA

BAKERY COUNTER
SALES ASSISTANT

QUENTIN
FLEURANCEAU

LOGISTICS AGENT

MOHAMED
EL KASTANI

STORE MANAGER

JAQUELINA
MARZINOTTO

SELF-SERVICE EMPLOYEE

MOUSSA DIA

E-COMMERCE ORDER
PICKER

NORELYS LEIVA

CASHIER

NAWAL MOJZI

LOGISTICS AGENT

LUIS FELIPE
DA SILVA ALVES

HOME APPLIANCES SALES
ASSISTANT

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contents

12
INTERVIEW WITH
JEAN-CHARLES NAOURI

16
2019 AT A GLANCE

18
KEY FIGURES

20
GOVERNANCE

RESPONSIVE

72
BANNERS & SUBSIDIARIES

96
SOCIETAL
PERFORMANCE

110
FINANCIAL
PERFORMANCE

DIGITAL

DEMANDING

DARING

ENTERPRISING

every
day...

INTERVIEW

“THE GROUP IS WELL-POSITIONED
TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF THE RETAIL
TRANSFORMATION.”

JEAN-CHARLES
NAOURI,
CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF
EXECUTIVE OFFICER
OF CASINO GROUP

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�
How has the onset of Covid-19
impacted Casino Group?
�
The Covid19 epidemic has upended our
lifestyles, impacted our personal and work
routines and disrupted our daily lives. In
these unprecedented circumstances, I am
very pleased to say that we’ve been able to
rely on the professionalism of all our teams.

The employees in the banners, warehouses
and corporate support
functions all
stepped up to the challenge in record time
to continue fulfilling our core mission:
ensuring access to food and basic neces-
sities for everyone,
especially the most
vulnerable and our
hard-pressed health
care workers. And,
to make sure our
response
doesn’t
further the spread
the epidemic,
of
preventive
strict
measures have been applied in the stores
and across the supply chain.

“Clear decision-making,
agility, responsiveness
and precise execution are
business-critical strengths.
Collectively, Casino Group
has these capabilities.”

The health of our employees and custom-
ers remains an absolute priority. I’d like to
extend my personal thanks to all our
employees for their dedication, and espe-
cially to our front-line staff who, every day,
are demonstrating outstanding commitment,
above and beyond the call of duty.

�
Is the Group ready and
able to carry out its mission?
�
We’ve never been through such an ordeal,
but in recent years, the Group has consist-
ently demonstrated
resilience and
robustness. In responding to a crisis, clear

its

decision making, agility, responsiveness
and precise execution are business-critical
strengths. Collectively, Casino Group has
these capabilities.

In addition, our strategy has positioned us
at the forefront of meeting essential needs.
Our convenience stores are located in city
centres, our automated checkouts are up
and running, we’ve significantly expanded our
home delivery capabilities, and Cdiscount
is demonstrating the power of French-style
online retailing.

�
How did these strategic choices
shape the Group in 2019?
�
Over the last few years, we’ve been
responding to the decline in large hyper-
markets and shifting customer expecta-
tions by repositioning the Group towards
the most attractive formats, the ones in
which we are the most skilled. These
include premium urban formats, with our
Monoprix and Franprix banners, and also
Casino Supermarchés and Géant Casino
stores located in fast growing geographies.

That’s why we sold more than 30 hyper-
markets and supermarkets in 2019 and
agreed in early 2020 to sell 567 Leader

INTERVIEW

Price stores and three Leader Price ware-
houses. At the same time, we stepped up our
focused expansion by opening 213 Casino
Proximités, Franprix and Naturalia outlets,
and we will maintain this momentum in 2020.
With 7,200 stores in the right formats and
the right locations, we are now perfectly
positioned to support the rapidly trans-
forming French retail industry.

�
And in Latin America?
�
During the year, we folded our Colombian,
Uruguayan and Argentine operations into our
Brazilian subsidiary GPA. The new organi-
sation will streamline operations and make
it easier to deliver synergies among the
formats most closely aligned with con-
sumer needs. The cash & carry operations
are continuing to enjoy strong growth, with
net sales up 22% at Assaí, and Grupo Éxito’s
new generation hypermarkets are also
improving their performance.

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�
The Group’s autonomous stores were
the subject of much debate this year.
How do you feel about them?
�
In response to the huge changes in the way
people shop, the Group made the decision
to accelerate the digitalisation of its ban-
ners and proactively develop new skills
amongst its workforce. More than 300 of
our stores are now equipped with auto-
mated scanner gates, which let customers
use the Casino Max application to scan
their purchases and leave the store without
going through a checkout. 45% of payments
in Géant Casino units and 36% in Casino
Supermarchés stores are now made by
smart - phone or auto-
matic checkout, while
the longer store hours
are generating increased
footfall. This shift
is
being embraced by our
teams thanks to the
deployment of a plan to
support them in upgrading to customer
service jobs. Over a three-year period, for
example, 6,000 impacted employees will
be trained in shopper assistance and
relationship management. This approach,
which is based on constructive dialogue
with employees, is a totally new way forward
in the retail industry.

“In response to the huge changes
in the way people shop, the Group
made the decision to accelerate
digitalisation and proactively develop
new skills amongst its workforce.”

+11%

The faster gain in
organic product sales
illustrates the virtuous
growth dynamic of
the Group’s banners.

�
Online grocery sales are also a big part
of the retail transformation. What are
the Group’s ambitions in this area?
�
We have been leading the way in e-com-
merce in France for the past 20 years.
Moreover, during the current health crisis,
Cdiscount has demonstrated the power of
its own model, which is more responsible
and just as efficient. Online food retailing
represents a colossal new challenge, and
we are ready to meet it. Banner sales have
increased by 11% in France and 40% in
Latin America, led by our ecosystem of
applications that have been downloaded
nearly 19 million times. In addition to the
digital interface, it is critical to have strong
logistics expertise.

For that, we rely on strategic partners. In
Brazil, GPA has acquired the James Delivery
start-up, while in France, alongside our own
sales channels, we’re distributing our prod-
ucts via Amazon Prime Now. But the real
turning point was recently reached with the
commissioning of the automated fulfilment
centre developed with Ocado, which now lets
us offer Monoprix customers in the Greater
Paris area the industry’s most efficient,
most profitable next-day delivery service.

�
Are the new service businesses
expanding in line with expectations?
�
Our expertise in data management and
digital solutions represents an important
growth opportunity through our RelevanC
subsidiary, whose net sales have increased
by more than 50% over the last year. And in
energy, GreenYellow is continuing to ramp
up its business. Its pipeline of photovoltaic
projects has tripled over the past year to
451 MWp, and it is expanding even more
quickly in the global marketplace. Promis-
ing partnerships have also been formed,
such as with Engie as part of Reservoir
Sun, which in one year has secured pro-

“Online food
retailing represents
a colossal
new challenge,
and we are ready
to meet it.”

jects totalling 100 MWp, or more recently
with Allego in electric mobility. What’s more,
GreenYellow’s energy expertise is consid-
erably reducing our operations’ carbon
footprint.

�
Speaking of which, how does the
Group both fulfil its growth ambitions
and meet its CSR objectives?
�
Business performance and social progress
can go hand in hand if we focus on sustain-
ing growth over the long-term. This is what
we’re doing with GreenYellow, but also with
organic products, which make up an
increasingly large share of the merchandise
assortment on our shelves. As an example,
these products accounted for nearly 9% of
our grocery sales in France in 2019, or €1.1
billion. Shoppers appreciate this change
and are prepared to pay the right price for
products that meet higher standards.

Here too, the Group’s ability to take the
initiative has made the difference. We’ve
been a driving force in sharply reducing the
use of plastics and removing unnecessary
packaging from our products; in improving
animal welfare and creating a labelling
system usable across the industry; and in
collecting customer donations to support
social outreach initiatives. It is our responsi-
bility as a retailer to channel spending in
this direction, and our teams are very proud
of their success in doing so.

2019 AT A GLANCE

every
day...

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DIGITAL

thanks to an ecosystem of innovations and
applications that revitalise the customer
experience in-store and beyond

DARING

capable of taking far-reaching initiatives
to maintain our role as leader in tomorrow’s
online shopping universe

RESPONSIVE

to customer needs, by prioritising the store
formats and products most closely aligned with
their emerging expectations

DEMANDING

in the nutritional value of food, the ethical
standards applied to production conditions
and the social impact of our operations

ENTERPRISING

in energy, data management,
the cloud and promising retail-related
BtoB services

DARWIN.2019: FRANPRIX’S NEW
(R)EVOLUTION
Franprix unveils a new generation
of stores, focused on food services,
organic products and in-bulk sales, while
drastically reducing its carbon footprint.

A FURTHER STEP TOWARDS
CARBON NEUTRALITY
In France, the Group has reduced
its greenhouse gas emissions(1)
by 20% since 2015.

LA NOUVELLE
CAVE:
BOTTOMLESS
TECHNOLOGY
A trendy phygital
concept with a virtual
sommelier and
light-based guidance
system that offers
a selection of the
650 bottles most
liked on social
media by Cdiscount
customers.

EUROPEAN ONLINE RETAILING: CDISCOUNT TAKES THE INITIATIVE
Cdiscount joins with three leading marketplaces in Romania, Italy
and Germany to create IMN, an unprecedented alliance that opens
up a market of more than 230 million customers for online sellers.

CLAIRE’S, HEMA AND FEU VERT: GUEST STARS AT GÉANT
Géant Casino revitalises its non-food offering by bringing in
such well-known brands as Claire’s, Hema and Feu Vert, in a
commitment to becoming a real brick-and-mortar marketplace.

RECOGNITION
FOR SCALEMAX’S
RESPONSIBLE
MODEL
The joint venture
created with Qarnot
Computing receives
the 2019 BFM
Business Grand
Prize in the Business
Model Transformation
category.

O’LOGISTIQUE
SYSTEM GOES LIVE
Start-up of
operations at the
order fulfilment
centre designed
with Ocado, which
offers Monoprix
customers in the
Greater Paris area
next-day delivery
service.

ANIMAL WELFARE LABEL:

ALREADY ADOPTED BY 10% OF THE INDUSTRY
With new partners coming on board, the
Animal Welfare Label Association now
represents 10% of the broiler hen industry
in France.

GREENYELLOW POWERS UP
GreenYellow continues to build momentum and triples its solar
project pipeline with major international contract wins, outstanding
success in manufacturing and transport infrastructure and a break
through in electric mobility.

PLASTIC FOOTPRINT:
REAL-WORLD INITIATIVES
One year after signing France’s
National Pact on Plastic Packaging,
practical outcomes include increased
bulk sales, a reduction in unnecessary
packaging and the use of alternative
materials.

ALREADY 300
AUTONOMOUS
STORES
To simplify
the checkout
process, the Group
is widely deploying
automated
scanning gates.
Already more
than 300 stores
have been
equipped, making
it possible to
extend opening
hours.

RELEVANC:
RECORD GROWTH
With net sales up
by more than 50%,
RelevanC has met
its ambitions and
forged strategic
partnerships with
Orange and IBM.

SMARTMARKET,
AN INNOVATION
LABORATORY
Grupo Éxito
opens Carulla
SmartMarket,
a concept that
retains the markers
that have made
the banner so
successful,
while introducing
around
20 technological
innovations,
including SmileID,
the first facial
recognition
payment system
in Latin America.

GPA ACQUIRES CHEFTIME
By acquiring the start-up, GPA
will drive faster development of
the omnichannel model deployed
by Cheftime, whose ready-to-cook
meal kits are best sellers in Brazil.

BANNER SALES IN FRANCE
BOOSTED BY ORGANIC PRODUCTS
Organic product sales rose by 11% in
the general banners and drove faster
expansion at Naturalia, which opened
19 new stores over the year.

(1) Scopes 1 and 2.

2019 AT A GLANCE

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39%

of employees are under 30

7,946

STORES IN FRANCE*

*France and the Indian Ocean region.

€34.6

BILLION IN CONSOLIDATED
NET SALES

220,000

EMPLOYEES WORLDWIDE

8,546

DISABLED EMPLOYEES

39.5%

of managers are women

94%of employees are

on permanent contracts

€1.1 BILLION

in net sales from organic products in France

4.2%

organic growth in consolidated net sales**

**Excluding fuel and calendar effects.

of the electricity used by the Group is generated
by its own photovoltaic facilities

3,226

STORES OUTSIDE FRANCE

€1.292

BILLION IN CONSOLIDATED
TRADING PROFIT

€212 MILLION

in underlying net profit, Groupe share

NO. 1

in convenience stores in France

NO. 2

in online retailing in France

NO. 1

retailer in Brazil and Colombia

NO. 2

in online retailing in Colombia

GOVERNANCE

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AN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
DRIVING
TRANSFORMATION

Jean-Charles Naouri
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Hervé Daudin
Executive Director, Merchandise
Director and Chairman of Achats
Marchandises Casino (AMC)

Franck-Philippe Georgin
General Secretary,
Executive Committee Secretary

Peter Paul Estermann
Chief Executive Officer of GPA

Carlos Mario Giraldo Moreno
Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer of Grupo Éxito

Cécile Guillou
Chief Executive
Officer of Franprix

Emmanuel Grenier
Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer of Cdiscount

Julien Lagubeau
Chief Operating Officer,
Chief Executive Officer of Leader Price

David Lubek
Chief Financial Officer

Karine Lenglart
Director of Group Corporate
Development and Holdings

Jean-Paul Mochet
Chairman of Monoprix,
Chairman of Franprix

Arnaud Strasser
Executive Director, Corporate
Development and Holdings,
Vice-Chairman of GPA

Tina Schuler
Chief Executive Officer of
Casino Supermarchés, Géant
Casino and Casino Proximités

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A BALANCED AND COMMITTED
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jean-Charles Naouri
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Nathalie Andrieux
Chief Executive Officer of Geolid.
Independent Director.

Josseline de Clausade(1)
Representative of Saris.
Adviser to the Chairman of Casino.

Gilbert Delahaye(2)
Director of Intra-group CSR Projects
at Casino Services.
Director representing employees.

Jacques Dumas(3)
Representative of Euris.
Advisor to the Chairman of Casino and
Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Euris.

Christiane Féral-Schuhl(3)
Lawyer/Partner.
Independent Director.

Laure Hauseux
Independent Company Director.
Independent Director.

Didier Lévêque
Representative of Finatis.
Corporate Secretary of Euris.
Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer of Finatis.

Catherine Lucet
Chief Executive Officer of the Education
and Reference division of Editis.
Lead Independent Director.

Odile Muracciole
Representative of Matignon Diderot.
Manager of Legal Affairs at Euris.

Thomas Piquemal(1)
Representative of Fimalac.
Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Fimalac.

David de Rothschild(3)
Chairman of the Supervisory Board
of Rothschild & Co SCA.

Frédéric Saint-Geours(3)
Chairman of the Supervisory Board
of SNCF (until 31 December 2019)

Michel Savart(3)
Representative of Foncière Euris.
Advisor to the Chairman of Rallye-Casino
and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
of Foncière Euris.

Gilles Pinoncély
Company Director.
Non-Voting Director.

Gérald de Roquemaurel
Legal Manager of BGR Partners.
Non-Voting Director.

Kareen Ceintre
Secretary of the Board of Directors.

IN 2019

Directors including one
representing employees

36%

of Directors
are independent

46%

of Directors are women(1)

Committees chaired
by women

Robust corporate governance

The Board of Directors stands out for the diversity of its members’ backgrounds, skills
and experience, which are aligned with the Group’s businesses and growth strategy.
Members are also gender balanced and comprise a number of highly engaged Independent
Directors, including the Lead Director (who is also a woman). Casino Group is committed
to complying with the recommendations of the Afep-Medef Code. In 2019, senior management
was highly active in successfully leading projects of great import for the Group.
In 2019, at a time when safeguard proceedings were under way for the parent
companies, the Governance and Social Responsibility Committee was specifically tasked
with ensuring that the Board was able to continue making impartial and objective decisions,
so as to protect Casino’s corporate interest and manage potential conflicts of interest.

A commitment to social responsibility

The Audit Committee assists the Board of Directors in defining and monitoring
the execution of its strategic orientations. In line with the Group’s sustainable growth
strategy, the Board’s Governance and Social Responsibility Committee is tasked
with examining its ethics, environmental, social and governance commitments
and policies. In 2019, the Committee pressed ahead with the review of the Group’s main
CSR challenges, its dialogue with stakeholders and the initiatives undertaken
in connection with the gender equality policy.

Three Specialised Committees
> Audit Committee
> Appointments and Compensation Committee
> Governance and Social Responsibility Committee

Board
meetings

93%

attendance
at Board meetings

Board Committee
meetings

100%

attendance
at Committee meetings

(1) Appointments submitted to shareholder approval at the Annual General Meeting on 17 June 2020.
(2) Terms of office expiring at the end of the Annual General Meeting of 17 June 2020.
(3) Re-elections subject to shareholder approval at the Annual General Meeting on 17 June 2020.

(1) Excluding the Director representing employees, in accordance with the Afep-Medef Corporate Governance Code for French listed companies or as required by law.

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 9:45 am FRANPRIX RÉAUMUR PARIS 2

every
day…

RESPONSIVE

irst, there’s the electric delivery
tricycle, proudly parked in front
of the store, which catches the eye
from the street. Then, there’s

the small kitchen opening through the store
window, for tourists, mobile co-workers
and anyone who doesn’t have what they
need to make a meal at home. In the shop
entryway, sitting on carefully arranged
blocks, two colleagues are finishing up an
informal business breakfast, enjoying freshly
squeezed orange juice, Nespresso coffee,
free wifi and USB sockets. “We’ve designed

a place that meets all the needs of our
customers,” explains François Alarcon,
Director of Strategy and Innovation
at Franprix. “Plus, it can be transformed
to keep it closely aligned with expectations.
In calling the concept Darwin.2019, we
had in mind this whole idea of evolution
and constant adaptation.” Located a stone’s
throw from rue Montorgueil, with its
renowned restaurants and food shops,
and surrounded by the starts-up in
the Sentier district, the store has instilled
new energy in the neighbourhood.

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It still manifests all of the powerful
markers embraced by Franprix customers
that have made the Mandarine concept
such a success. While food services manager
Charly David starts cooking the rotisserie
chickens that will be served for lunch,
self-service employee Jaquelina Marzinotta
fills the orange juicer squeezer. Then she
goes back to the stockroom to bring back
half a dozen boxes with coloured labels
containing the bulk sale gravity bins
co-developed with Bulk&Co. In all,
dispensers for rice, couscous, almonds,
peanuts, chocolate balls and other
bulk-sold items cover five linear metres.
That’s quite a feat for a 500 sq.m. store.

WHAT CONVIVIAL
REALLY MEANS
“The polycarbonate gravity bins in the
organic stores require daily maintenance,
which doesn’t fit very well with the way
operations in Franprix stores are managed,”
explains Boris Zukanovich, Director
of Sales & Marketing at Bulk&Co.
“The company asked us to come up with a
system that was lighter, more flexible and
easier to operate.” Jaquelina just needs to
replace the empty boxes, which she compacts
so that they can be sent out for recycling.
“It’s convenient and customers love it,” she
says. “Just like the solid cosmetics in the
beauty department, which are very popular.”

In fact, this is the new Franprix

concept’s other major innovation – a very
wide ranging non-food section featuring
expert brands (see box). “For us,” notes
François Alarcon, “non-food is also a way
to get closer to our customers. When they
find a Decathlon gym mat or Hema socks
at Franprix, we’re fulfilling our mission as
their local convenience store.” By offering
exactly what its customers want, Franprix
has built a store that resonates harmoniously
with its neighbourhood; a place that is
pleasant, open to the community and very
convivial. “And here, we mean convivial
in the literal sense, because food services
are our strong point,” says Nabil Mostafa,
the store’s Deputy Manager. “We serve
around a hundred customers for breakfast,
and double that for lunch.”

BULK ON DEMAND
Franprix worked with a
start-up based in Burgundy
to design a bulk sales
section that can be
adjusted to each store’s
customer base and layout.
Two hundred of these
sections will be deployed
in 2020.

AS NEIGHBOURS, WE HELP
EACH OTHER OUT
Actually, it’s already lunchtime. Charly
has taken the chickens out of the rotisserie
and loaded a new batch of pizzas, savoury
pies and macaroni gratins. Customers are
flocking around the salad bar and hot food
buffet, developed with Fleury Michon.
Some people serve themselves using the
compostable bowls, while others prefer
the returnable glass containers that they
can take with them, without a deposit,
and bring back later for washing. Just like
neighbours do.

“I work 200 metres from here, and come

by to get my lunch almost every day,” says
graphic designer Eva Brihaye. “There’s
enormous variety and the products are
healthy and super fresh.
And when I need to have a package
delivered, it’s a great place to have it
dropped off. I come by at the end of the
day before taking the metro home.”
Because the Franprix store is packed with
services, including a news stand, a Western
Union office, lockers, a dog water bowl and
a bicycle pump. Not to mention restrooms,
a mundane yet much appreciated feature
for the highly mobile clientele in this central
Paris district. Even here, Franprix has thought
of everything – there’s even a changing table.

“I WORK 200 METRES FROM HERE,
AND COME BY TO GET MY LUNCH
ALMOST EVERY DAY. AND WHEN
I NEED TO HAVE A PACKAGE
DELIVERED, IT’S A GREAT PLACE
TO HAVE IT DROPPED OFF.”
Eva Brihaye, graphic designer

“WE’VE DESIGNED A PLACE
THAT MEETS ALL THE NEEDS
OF OUR CUSTOMERS,
AND CAN BE READILY
TRANSFORMED TO KEEP IT
CLOSELY ALIGNED
WITH EXPECTATIONS.”
François Alarcon, Director
of Strategy and Innovation

ZERO WASTE
Franprix has partnered
with start-up SolZero
to offer customers
containers that they
can use in-store or take
away. SolZero then
collects the used
containers, washes
them and returns them
to the store.

Hema, Cdiscount, Decathlon: shop-in-shop
convenience for non-food items

The only thing missing in the
concept was an attractive
non-food offering capable of
meeting all of a Parisian’s
daily needs. In response,
Franprix turned to the exper-
tise of its partner brands,
particularly Hema, which is
featured on
prominently
both the shelves and the

store front. Cdiscount and
Le Drugstore Parisien also
supply a selection of their
best sellers. More recently,
sporting
retailer
goods
Decathlon arrived on the
shelves for a few weeks,
offering five products in high
lock-
demand during the
down period.

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IN LINE WITH
CUSTOMER NEEDS

By prioritising its most promising formats,
Casino Group is unleashing the power of its banners
and honing their ability to constantly evolve in line
with customer needs – imagining leading-edge store
concepts, further refining their granular urban market
coverage, surprising shoppers with new products,
capturing food technology trends in real time,
and joining forces with leading speciality brands
to enhance their non-food offerings.

213

premium and
convenience stores
opened in France

MONOPRIX RETHINKS PERSONAL CARE
The winds of innovation are blowing at Monoprix, bringing in three
new, completely revamped beauty and personal care concepts,
each now being piloted in one of the banner’s Parisian stores.
Beaugrenelle (Paris 15) is offering an expert beauty product
concept designed in partnership with L’Oréal. Pelleport (Paris 20)
is breaking with tradition along the lines of Le Drugstore Parisien.
And Saint-Cloud (Paris suburbs) is deploying a project inspired
by the new organic, natural, responsible “monop’beauty”
concept. “These new concepts illustrate Monoprix’s ability to try
out new trends as soon as they emerge,” notes Maguelone Paré,
Director of Innovation and Concepts at Monoprix. “The challenge
is to satisfy every beauty need, by aligning our offering with the
various profiles of our urban customers.”

PÃO DE AÇÚCAR:
SUCCESSFUL ROLL-OUT OF THE GERAÇÃO7 CONCEPT
The Geração7 concept launched by Pão de Açúcar has been
a huge hit with Brazilian customers. A quarter of the banner’s
185 stores have been upgraded to the new format, which
features premium quality fresh produce, redesigned lifestyle
and dining areas and a range of digital services. The new units
already account for 40% of the banner’s total sales.

PREMIERING THE BEYOND BURGER
Beyond Meat, the leader in
plant-based meat substitutes,
has chosen the Group’s
banners to introduce its
products to the French.
In February 2020, under
an exclusive agreement
with the Californian start-up,
500 Monoprix, Franprix, Casino
Supermarchés and Géant
Casino stores helped to launch

the famous Beyond Burger
patties in France. “Whether
vegetarian or flexitarian,
more and more consumers
are shifting towards a less
meat-based diet,” says
Corinne Aubry-Lecomte,
Director of Production,
Innovation and Quality at AMC.
“Partnering with such a major
food technology company

as Beyond Meat has enabled
us to further expand our line
of vegetable protein-based
products, so that we can offer
solutions for all types of
applications.” The next step
comes in spring 2020, when
products from Magic Bean,
a French start-up incubated
by the Group, start to appear
on the shelves.

11%

growth in organic
product sales at the
Group’s general banners
in France

LA FRENCH TOUCH: SPOTLIGHTING YOUNG TALENT
To showcase the talents of the new generation of French
20- to 40-year-olds, representing the diverse, creative France
in such areas as sports, culture, entrepreneurship, music and
cooking, Casino sponsors La French Touch, a short programme
broadcast every day just after the Quotidien talk show on
the TMC channel.

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NATURALIA CYCLE FEMME 1185x1750 ech1cinquieme VECT.indd 1

11/09/2019 12:06

NATURALIA MOVES UP A NOTCH AND CHANGES ITS TONE
French organic speciality chain Naturalia continued to expand
in 2019, with 19 openings lifting the store base past the symbolic
milestone of 200 units. By broadening its network both in its
traditional Greater Paris market and in other major French cities
and towns, Naturalia is fast becoming not only a destination store
but also a local convenience store. At the same time, the banner
is moving away from city centres and introducing the new,
larger Marché Bio concept more attuned to suburban shoppers.
It has also introduced a new loyalty programme aimed at
under-25s, and to reach this audience, it has deployed a new
advertising campaign expressing its commitments in a more
offbeat, edgier tone.

TOMORROW ON YOUR PLATE
A thinly sliced vegetable-based meat product made from green
pea protein. Gourmet cakes baked with 40% vegetable
ingredients, which have less fat and less sugar than traditional
cookies. A beer brewed from natural ingredients that has 40%
fewer calories than a conventional beer. These are just three
examples of innovations presented by the winners of C’Demain
(It’s Tomorrow), a food technology contest designed to pick up
on new food trends and detect high-potential start-ups. The Group
is providing the winners with an opportunity for market launch by
offering them a pilot run on Monoprix, Franprix, Géant and Casino
Supermarchés shelves.

LE DRUGSTORE PARISIEN OPENS IN THE SAINT-LAZARE
TRAIN STATION
Casino Group’s French-style drugstore has opened a new store in
a high-traffic location, in the shopping mall under the Saint-Lazare
train station in Paris. Focused on personal care, travel and
well-being, the merchandise selection emphasises, even more
than usual, French-made and organic products. At the same time,
the banner is deploying dedicated store-in-stores in Franprix,
Géant Casino and Casino Supermarchés outlets.

cash & carry outlets
opened in Latin
America, of which
22 Assaí units in Brazil
and 12 Surti Mayorista
stores in Colombia

LOCAL SOURCING AND ULTRA-FRESH PRODUCTS AT CARULLA
Carulla FreshMarket hypermarkets are continuing to delight their
customers by forming new partnerships with small producers to
offer a winning ultra-fresh and ultra-local combination. In association
with Makand, a market gardener located 20 km from Bogotá,
Carulla recently introduced the “salad of the day,” picked each
morning and delivered two hours later to the store. Another
example of co-creation is the mozzarella workshop concept
developed with artisanal cheesemaker La Ratonera, which
has already been deployed in nine stores.

FEU VERT AND CLAIRE’S:
SPECIALITY RETAILERS AT GÉANT CASINO
Already the benchmark in
grocery retailing, refocused
on its fresh market spaces
and traditional high-quality
sections, Géant Casino
is revitalising its non-food
selection by bringing
in speciality brands.
“To develop promising
markets, we’re relying on

recognised specialists capable
of delivering real expertise to
our customers and making our
stores even more attractive,”
explains Sébastien Corrado,
Marketing Director for
the Casino banners. “After
successfully deploying more
than 50 Cdiscount store-
in-stores, the idea is to take

things to the next level with
the support of partner brands.
We started off with Claire’s
fashion accessories and now
have spaces for Feu Vert, Piery
jewellery, mattress specialist
Eve and even the Easycash
buyback service. Géant Casino
is becoming a real brick-
and-mortar marketplace!”

WHAT OUR
PARTNERS SAY

“WITH CASINO GROUP, HEMA IS
DRAWING CLOSER TO THE EVERYDAY
LIVES OF PEOPLE IN FRANCE”

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STÉPHANE FRENKEL

Country Director France, Hema

�
What convinced Hema to join forces with
Franprix?
�

Today, all retailers are looking to optimise
their spaces through high value-added off erings. Last
spring, several banners contacted us to help them do
just that. When we met Franprix, its managers said:
“We want to work with the expert in the non-food
market”, which we really liked. Casino Group
immediately understood why it was benefi cial
to add a strong brand to its range in order to boost
its own attractiveness as well as that of its products.

�
Was this a fi rst for Hema in France?
�

It was a world fi rst! And I’m particularly proud that
Hema France got to test out this new sales channel. It
was the very fi rst time we had considered selling our
products outside of our own stores, so we certainly
didn’t want them to get lost among Franprix’s off ering.
By choosing to put the Hema and Franprix banners
side by side, Franprix sent a clear message –
our brands are similar enough to be sold together.
Hema’s customers are its highest priority. I noticed
the same mindset at Casino Group, whose banners
share a very French culture of humility.

�
How did you put together the range?
�

It was a collaborative aff air, whereby we used Hema
as inspiration to codesign a bespoke assortment
of products for Franprix customers. The pilot project
was launched in summer 2019 in 15 stores, and
over the following weeks we analysed the results
and fi ne-tuned our approach. We initially planned
on having four 1-metre display segments, but
the project was so successful that we now off er
an assortment of up to 11 segments, which can
vary depending on location, type of customer
and available space.

�
What are the next steps?
�

Our products are currently available in 200 Franprix
stores. What’s more, we’ve built a strong relationship
with Casino Group. Between now and the summer,
we plan to roll out our concept in 17 Casino
supermarkets and hypermarkets, at banners that
are very well located in mid-sized towns. This is
a real opportunity for Hema to draw ever closer
to the everyday lives of people in France.

“AN UNPRECEDENTED
LEVEL OF PARTNERSHIP”

�
For L’Oréal, it’s fairly unprecedented to achieve
the level of supplier-retailer partnership that we have
with Casino Group. From the outset, we had a common
goal of off ering consumers a redesigned beauty
experience in keeping with current trends. After our
collaboration on Le Drugstore Parisien, this partnership
enabled L’Oréal to develop three new beauty concepts
with Monoprix to suit the diff erent store types. What
stays in my mind is the method we used.
Within the space of four months, the L’Oréal and
Monoprix teams delivered very concrete, operational
concepts, and set up innovative programmes centred
around make-up, skin care, organic products and hair
care, which can be easily rolled out on a large scale.
The shared values guiding us were the keys
to our success. Working with people you trust
removes so many obstacles.
�

FRÉDÉRIC SCELLES

Director, Le Chalut des 2 Ports, Lorient

CÉLINE BRUCKER

General Manager,
L’Oréal Consumer Division France

“CASINO SUPPORTS
OUR DEVELOPMENT”

�
Short supply chains and local food are things we’ve
been doing for a long time already with Casino! Our fi sh
market in Lorient started supplying 17 supermarkets
and hypermarkets in Brittany eight years ago. Every
morning, the Casino buyer visits us to choose seafood,
including sole, red mullet, bass, and even live
langoustines, from the previous night’s catch before
it goes to the store at around 9:00 am. We supply
a total of 500 kg a day. Ever since, Casino Group has
continued to support our development, as illustrated
recently by our SkinPack Océan project, a packaging
unit for additive- and preservative-free marine-fi sh fi llets
with a 12-day shelf life. Casino gave us access to
its self-service shelves and its drive-through service,
and each day, we prepare between 500 and 3,000 trays,
depending on store orders. Securing our sales channels
will allow us to invest in automation and expand our
range even further.
�

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 10:30 am CASINO SUPERMARCHÉ, CANNES PONT-DES-GABRES

every
day…

DIGITAL

ustomers chatting on a bench,
enjoying a few rays of spring
sunshine. In front of the
supermarket entrance, the first
seasonal fruits have been delivered by local
growers. Welcome to a Casino Group
“autonomous” store. At first glance,
however, nothing looks out of the ordinary
at the Cannes supermarket, until you notice
the 1st Prize plaque proudly displayed by
the meat department, won in the organic
meat category at the 2019 National

Competition of France’s Retail Trades
Federation (FCD). “Since 1 January 2019,
we’ve been open seven days a week, from
6:00 am to midnight,” notes store manager
Christophe Audinet. “That’s a big
advantage in a tourist town like Cannes,
especially in the summer.” From 6:00
to 8:00 am, then after 8:30 pm, customers
check out exclusively through the automated
gates. After testing in 4 Casino, the Group’s
phygital laboratory, the scanners have been
rolled out to 300 stores.

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“The Casino banners have been

pioneers in digitalising their retail outlets,”
believes Sébastien Corrado, Marketing
Director. “The technologies that we’ve
introduced are enabling certain types of
stores to extend their opening hours. It’s
primarily a service we offer our customers,
but it’s also a nice comeback for the
physical store as opposed to the online
world.” Even in the middle of the day, the
automatic checkouts are running full tilt,
and in the checkout line, a lot of customers
are pulling out their smartphones when it’s
time to pay.

THE CASINO MAX DIGITAL
LOYALTY PROGRAMME
It’s clear that the store’s greeters and
customer service manager have gone all out
to educate people about the new system.
For the third time in the last 15 minutes,
Anne Derré is walking a customer through
the process on her smartphone. “The
Casino Max morning ends at 11:00,” she
explains. “It only lasts another 15 minutes,
so to enable some of our more technology-
challenged customers to participate, I help
them activate the Casino Max app on their
phone.” Several times a month, members
of the banner’s digital loyalty programme
are offered a substantial 20% cash-back on
all their purchases, but only for a few hours.
It provides an opportunity to encourage
customers to use the app and to explain
how the express scan and mobile payment
systems works.

For her part, Samia Bouazza doesn’t
need any advice from Anne or the cashiers.
She knows the app by heart and has even
been a member of Casino Max Extra,
the banner’s enhanced loyalty programme,
for almost a year now. As a member, she
gets an immediate 10% discount on all her
purchases in exchange for a €10 a month
fee. “There are seven of us at home, so
the 10% discount really makes a difference,”
she explains. “I check the alerts when they
come in, and decide what to buy
depending on the promotions. And if you
add in the 20% cash-back thanks to the
Casino Max mornings, you can see what
a great deal it is!”

AUTONOMOUS STORES
Following Casino
Supermarchés’ pioneering
lead, a large number of
Géant hypermarkets and
small convenience stores
such as Vival and Le Petit
Casino now offer extended
opening hours.

Upgrading customer service jobs

To support checkout staff in
transitioning to upgraded cus-
tomer service jobs, the Group
has undertaken a programme
based on constructive social
dialogue.
inter-
views conducted with the
6,000 employees concerned

Individual

helped to identify their career
development aspirations and
training requirements, which
led to the deployment of a
three-year upskilling plan.
Since early 2020, store and till
managers have been trained
in change management.

“DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
IS PROFOUNDLY CHANGING
HOW WE DO OUR JOBS
IN-STORE. AND WE’RE
SUPPORTING OUR TEAMS
AS THEY TRANSITION
TO THE FUTURE.”
Christophe Audinet,
Store Manager

PROACTIVELY
DEVELOPING NEW JOB
SKILLS
Digitalisation has also made headway

in the shopping aisles. In the fruit and
vegetables section, the section manager
restocks using a tablet, while the picking
employee checks off a click & collect order
on a portable terminal. “Digital technology
is profoundly changing how we do our
jobs in-store,” observes Christophe,
“and we’re supporting our teams as they
transition to the future.” That’s because
keeping pace with changes in the retailing
business is a technological as well as a
human relations challenge. Casino has
introduced a system designed to get every
stakeholder in the banners involved in
upgrading their customer service jobs. In
Cannes, the store manager and customer
service manager have already attended
“customer culture” training sessions,
which they are now cascading down to
employees. “My objective is to create an
eagerness for new customer relationship
jobs,” notes Anne. “We conducted the first
interviews in the autumn, and the response
was pretty positive. Some of the 25 cashiers
showed a special aptitude for taking on
more versatile tasks.” A few of the cashiers
are already spending more time guiding
customers. Others will be supported over
the longer term, through a tailor-made
training programme.

€5 MILLION

allocated in the Casino
banners to the training
and support plan that
is enabling cashiers
to transition towards
customer relationship
jobs.

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REINVENTING
THE STORE

Although online sales are booming, there is still
a lot to be said for brick-and-mortar stores.
This is where the Group can count on such core
strengths as its technological maturity, agile
organisation and ability to work with highly
innovative start-ups. These strengths are giving
it a head start in revolutionising the shopping
experience by leveraging all the power of digital
technology, without ever losing sight of
what constitutes the real value of its business
as a retailer: human connection.

million Brazilians
use the Pão de Açúcar
and Extra apps

CARULLA SMARTMARKET,
GRUPO ÉXITO’S INNOVATION LAB
In Bogotá, Grupo Éxito has opened its first Carulla SmartMarket.
The new concept retains all the features that have made the
premium banner so successful, such as fresh produce, organic
products and services, while introducing innovative solutions
to optimise and enrich the shopping experience.
“Colombian consumers are very fond of digital innovation,”
notes Guillaume Sénéclauze, Grupo Éxito Sales and Operations
Vice-President. “With Carulla SmartMarket, we wanted to develop
extremely innovative solutions, but without ever dehumanising
the in-store experience.” After eight months of research and
development with Colombian companies, around 20 technological
innovations have been developed, including the SmileID facial
recognition payment system, the Check&go smartphone
payment solution using the Carulla app, and the 3D shopping
journey, which shows shoppers the fastest route to what they’re
looking for.

MONOPRIX AND JOW,
COOKING MADE EASY
After delighting users of
the Monoprix et Moi app,
Jow has now moved
physically into monop’ stores.
In a dedicated corner, the
start-up offers a selection
of easy recipes with all the
ingredients needed to make
them to inspire shoppers
and encourage them to get
cooking. Jow recipes are
available at monop.jow.fr,
along with their shopping lists.

BREAKING THE MOULD WITH LA NOUVELLE CAVE
With its pink, loft-like boutique
in a trendy Parisian
neighbourhood, the Group’s
new phygital concept is
breaking the codes of France’s
traditional wine and spirits
retailing sector. “We’ve
dreamed up a new way to sell
wine,” analyses Laurent
Lacluque, Director of Wine
and Spirits Purchasing at
Cdiscount. “The idea is to get
all the benefits of the best
technology, while respecting

the fundamentals of a good
wine store, like product
selection, customer advice
and a local presence.”
La Nouvelle Cave combines
the oenological expertise of
Cdiscount, which is France’s
leading online wine merchant,
and the digital capabilities of
the Group’s innovation team,
which brought together an
entire ecosystem of start-ups
around the project. Thanks to
the virtual sommelier designed

by Matcha, the light-based
guidance system developed
by Soixante Circuits, and the
consumer reviews displayed
on electronic labels, customers
can easily choose from among
the 650 wines on offer and
use a tablet to access the
7,000 products on the Cdiscount
website. This is setting a new
standard for the wines
and spirits section, which
the Group’s banners could
deploy on a larger scale.

million connections
a month to the Casino
Max app, which
accounts for 20%
of banner sales

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ALREADY 300 AUTONOMOUS CASINO STORES IN FRANCE
To simplify the checkout process, the Group is widely deploying
the automated scanning gates tested at the 4 Casino store
in 2018. The new system lets customers use the Casino Max
application to scan their purchases and leave the store without
going through the checkout. Already installed in more than
300 Casino Supermarchés, Géant and Casino Proximités stores,
the technology also enables stores to stay open longer on Sundays
or in the evening, or even all night when the layout permits.
Customers have very quickly embraced the service, which
is generating a substantial increase in footfall.

45%

of payments in hypermarkets
and 36% in supermarkets
in France are now
made by smartphone
or automatic checkout

BLACK BOX, A DISRUPTIVE PROJECT
Creating new growth drivers for the future by capitalising
on the Group’s assets and expertise is the job of the corporate
Innovation Department. As Department head Martin Calmels
explains, “in brick-and-mortar retailing, it’s all about imagining
what technology can bring to customers. After the 4 Casino
and La Nouvelle Cave store concepts, we’re developing a very
disruptive project for a totally automated store.”
Known as “Black Box,” the new model is based on highly
advanced detection, artificial intelligence and weighing systems.
It is scheduled for launch in the summer of 2020.

MONOP’ OPENS A PHYGITAL WINE STORE
Le Petit Ballon, a subscription-based online wine retailer, has
designed a highly innovative wine section for monop’, which
guides seasoned wine lovers and neophytes alike according to
their tastes and wine drinking occasions. To get started, a tablet
app displays a number of prompts: “I know what I want to drink”;
“I know what I want to eat”; “I could use some guidance.”

ASSAÍ ROLLS OUT THE FAST PASS AUTOMATED
CHECKOUT SYSTEM
In its constant commitment to operational efficiency, Brazilian
cash & carry banner Assaí is deploying the Fast Pass high-speed
self-checkout system. A scanner positioned above the conveyor
belt automatically reads the barcodes and registers the
purchases, which helps to reduce checkout times by 80%.

DIGITALISING TO REDUCE FOOD WASTE
In stores, new technologies are also being used to track
use-by dates. Developed with start-up Yoobic, the system
chosen by Géant Casino is based on a tablet app that alerts store
teams every day when products are nearing their use-by dates.
The flagged products are marked down and placed in a
dedicated Zero Waste section, with the promotional offers
displayed in real time on the Casino Max app. The ultimate
objective is to cut food waste in half. At the same time, stores
are using Too Good to Go, a start-up that sells baskets of
short-dated products at discount prices. This makes it easy
for app users to locate nearby offers. Already more than
2,000 stores operated by the Group’s eight banners are active
on Too Good to Go, helping to save more than a million meals.

BIBI NOW HAS 1.5 MILLION MEMBERS IN FRANCE
Bibi, Franprix’s new, highly
personalised customer
benefits programme,
is based on machine learning
technology applied to
the analysis of transactional
and behavioural data.
It enables the Franprix app
to recommend the right

products and promotions
for the right person, at
the right time and through
the right channel. In addition
to giving customers cash-
back on in-store purchases,
the banner encourages
responsible shopping
by rewarding the purchase

of Franprix organic products.
Customers can either
use their cash-back euros
at the next checkout or
convert them into discount
coupons redeemable in
a network of 80 partners
specialising in leisure
products and services.

WHAT OUR
PARTNERS SAY

“THE GROUP DEDICATES
A LOT OF ENERGY
TO INNOVATION”

�
How did Matcha come to create the digital
interface behind La Nouvelle Cave?
�

Matcha develops sales technologies for wine, beer
and spirits. When you talk to a wine merchant or a
sommelier, the conversation lasts all of 30 seconds. The
challenge is making a digital tool that is just as eff ective.
We had already worked with monoprix.fr to develop a
chatbot for the website. For La Nouvelle Cave, Casino
Group was looking for a wine specialist that could
provide artifi cial intelligence technology. We worked
together to build a truly “phygital” experience.

�
What do you fi nd innovative
about La Nouvelle Cave?
�

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THOMAS DAYRAS

CEO, Matcha

�
Is it diffi cult to collaborate with
a large group like Casino?
�

As a start-up, Matcha can generally move faster
than retail players, but Casino Group is an exception!
For La Nouvelle Cave, it took just fi ve months between
launching the project and opening the store, which
is even more incredible when you realise that we had
two partners: the Group innovation teams for all things
operational and the Cdiscount teams for the selection
of wine and spirits. The Group dedicates a lot
of energy to innovation and can implement new
projects really quickly.

“A REVOLUTION IN
THE RETAIL LANDSCAPE”

�
When we started discussions for the Black Box
automated store project, Casino Group’s vision was
perfectly clear. We meet with many retailers across the
globe, and Casino Group is one of the very few that
know exactly what they can provide to customers
thanks to new technology. It’s a pleasure to work with a
partner that knows what it wants! As a result, decisions
can be taken easily, and the project can be set up really
quickly. Together, with the Group’s retail expertise and
our smart shelf technology, we are spearheading a
veritable revolution in the retail landscape. It’s the fi rst
fully autonomous store in Europe, off ering customers a
completely new experience. This is a very important
signal to the market, and a highly concrete way to get
closer to what consumers expect.
�

Both the space and the digital service have a very
human feel to them. When you’re in the store, our
virtual wine merchant is able to respond to customers’
two needs – what bottle to choose, and where to fi nd
it quickly among the hundreds of available wines,
using a lighting system to indicate the recommended
bottle. What’s more, the virtual wine merchant
is conversational, meaning that if you ask for a “red
wine that’s not too bold for around €8”, the technology
will be able to understand your budget, the colour
you’d like, and the subtleties of negation showing
that you don’t want it to be too bold.
Now that’s a typically human approach.

�
What were the main challenges
during the project?
�

The most interesting challenge for Matcha was
imagining, right from the start, how the other Casino
Group banners could roll out this approach on a large
scale going forward. To make a project scalable,
you need to integrate retail industry challenges related
to investments, the customer journey, operational
effi ciency, and so on, without damaging the concept.
We’re working on it as we speak.

ANDRÉS DUQUE

Chairman, Redeban

RAMI BAHAR

Chief Business Development Offi cer, Shekel
Brainweigh

“CARULLA IS THE BEST
POSSIBLE PARTNER”

�
Redeban could not have chosen a better partner than
Carulla to launch Latin America’s very fi rst facial
recognition payment system. The project came into
its own at the Carulla SmartMarket innovation lab.
To ensure success, we looked to develop a service
relying on the most advanced technologies while
ensuring total payment security. From start to fi nish,
we worked very closely in agile mode with the
Grupo Éxito teams to quickly identify areas for
improvement, build the most reliable solution possible
and optimise time to market. SmileID is the most
user-friendly payment method on the market. You
simply enter an identifi cation code, and the system
recognises your face and authorises the transaction.
We achieved the goal we set with Grupo Éxito: off er
customers a shopping experience unlike anywhere
else in Colombia!
�

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 3:30 pm MONOPRIX BEAUGRENELLE PARIS 15

every
day…

DEMANDING

“

ood afternoon!” When
customers enter the Monoprix
store in Beaugrenelle, in the
15th arrondissement of Paris,
they’re greeted with a big smile by Hélio
Baraga. The “Oui!” sign above the reception
desk reminds them that Monoprix is
attentive, understanding and perfectly
capable of meeting their expectations.
“I’ve been in this job for 15 years, and
our customers know that in this store
we always say yes,” says Hélio cheerfully.

“We have a lot of regulars, who are nice but
also demanding. They come here to find
the best products in the neighbourhood.
And they also count on us to surprise
them.” The store certainly lives up to its
role as a testbed for new service-based
ideas. The entryway features a comfortable
lounge area for relaxing and lockers
for storing personal belongings while
shopping. Along a tree-lined alleyway,
market stalls showcase seasonal fruit
and vegetables, as well as ultra-local

Olivier Metzger, butcher to some of the
world’s leading chefs. As they move through
the aisles, they also find a wide variety of
continuously improved private-label staples,
such as the Monoprix Bio Origines line,
responsibly farmed Norwegian salmon,
reduced salt ham that is antibiotic-free
after weaning, and fair trade coffee.

On the first floor, in a space that has just
been entirely redesigned in association with
L’Oréal, the personal care department
prominently features eco-designed cosmetics
and such committed brands as Boho, which
offers natural and organic make-up. “Our
stores play several roles,” notes Phuong Leleu,
Director of Marketing for the banner. “They
are engaged in the community, fostering
personal interaction and social ties, and they
are bellwethers for emerging trends. In that
sense, they are perfectly positioned to make
‘beautiful’ and ‘good’ really mean something.”

A SPACE DESIGNED
TO INTERACT WITH
THE NEIGHBOURHOOD
Back on the ground floor, the lounge
area has been taken over by the team that
runs Repair Café, a collaborative repair
workshop open to the public. Seven
participants, including regular customers
and fledgling DIYers, have brought in
electronic devices and small household
appliances to try and get them fixed.
“This space was designed to interact with
the neighbourhood,” says Denis. “A store
that’s open to the community appeals to
our customers, and it’s an enriching
experience for employees.”

“BY WORKING WITH
SMALL FARMERS,
MONOPRIX SELECTS
EXCEPTIONAL, MORE
RESPONSIBLE PRODUCTS”
Denis Onillon,
Store Manager

23,500

baskets are offered
by Monoprix every
month for sale on the
Too Good to Go app,
of which 99.2% find
buyers.

It’s 6:00 pm. A store employee walks
out to make a home delivery, after stopping
at the reception desk to drop off two
baskets of unsold grocery products that
he has just prepared for Too Good to Go
users. The start-up has been a Monoprix
partner since the beginning. “In 2017, we
contacted a number of mass retailers to
propose our idea of ‘magic bags’ of unsold
food,” recalls Luc-Olivier Pierret, Head
of Sales for Too Good to Go. “Monoprix
was the first banner to work with us, and
without them, we wouldn’t have come
this far.” Since then, Too Good to Go has
attracted six million users in 14 European
countries and saved the equivalent
of 12 million meals, including more than
one million with the Group’s banners.

Lemon Tri: the bottle recycler

In France, only 10% of plas-
tic bottles are recycled. To
encourage consumers
to
sort their bottles, more than
20 Monoprix stores have
installed automated collec-
tion boxes managed by
Lemon Tri, a social economy
enterprise. “We wanted to
push consumers to do the

right thing,” explains Lemon
Tri co-founder Augustin Jaclin.
“When someone drops off a
bottle, they receive one cent,
which they can keep in the
form of a voucher or offer it
to an association, via the
microDon giving solution,
and get a matching contribu-
tion from Monoprix.”

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produce from the Greater Paris region,
sourced from the Carreau des Producteurs
at the Rungis International wholesale food
market. The strawberries were picked
at Agricool’s urban farm in nearby
La Courneuve, where the start-up has
installed ten connected containers to
vertically grow strawberries, herbs and
lettuce. The apples are certified Beefriendly
and are the result of the partnership with
Limdor, which was awarded an LSA
Innovation Trophy in 2019.

MAKING “BEAUTIFUL”
AND “GOOD” REALLY
MEANS SOMETHING
“By sourcing primarily through short
channels, Monoprix can offer exceptional
products, selected for their delicious taste
and their more responsible farming methods,”
observes store manager Denis Onillon.
“That’s what customers come here for.”
The same is true in the food trades, where
Parisians from all over the arrondissement
come looking for such must-haves
as Marie-Anne Cantin’s classic cheeses –
truffé de la Marne or the comté matured
for 40 months – and the aged meats from

STRAIGHT FROM THE MARKET
Monoprix has partnered
with the Rungis
International wholesale
food market to supply its
stores every day with ultra-
fresh fruit and vegetables
grown in the Greater Paris
area. The partnership also
covers domestically sourced
fish, meat and cheeses.

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MEETING
EXPECTATIONS

For Casino Group, fulfilling its responsibility
as a retailer means promoting more sustainable
production methods, helping to improve animal
welfare, significantly shrinking the carbon
footprint of its operations, drastically reducing
plastic use and deploying a wide range of
community outreach initiatives. In this way it hopes
to enable customers, who are more conscious
than ever of the impact of their purchases, to shop
more responsibly.

40%

of Casino’s private-label
products express a
commitment to health,
the environment or
responsible farming

ZERO EMISSION TRANSPORT AT FRANPRIX
As a pioneer in sustainable logistics, with waterway deliveries
to 300 stores in Paris in place since 2012, Franprix is continuing
to deploy cleaner means of transport across the supply chain.
Just recently, the banner has started using the world’s first
fully-electric 26-tonne delivery lorry to take fresh products to
15 stores twice a day, thereby avoiding the release of 61 tonnes
of CO2 a year. What’s more, all of the stores have been furnished
with electric tricycles, so that 30% of home deliveries now use
sustainable mobility modes.

GRUPO ÉXITO RANKS AMONG THE WORLD’S TOP 10 MOST
SUSTAINABLE RETAILERS
The Dow Jones Sustainability Index has ranked
Grupo Éxito among the world’s 10 most sustainable mass
retailers, with a score of 67/100. For the seventh year
in a row, the Colombian subsidiary was the only Latin American
retailer in the ranking.

ANIMAL WELFARE LABEL:
ALREADY ADOPTED BY 10% OF THE INDUSTRY
Initiated in 2018 by Casino
Group and three NGOs,
the Animal Welfare Label
Association was joined last
year by poultry producers
Les Fermiers de Loué and
Les Fermiers du Sud-Ouest.
Today, it is steadily attracting
new partners, with retailers
Carrefour and Magasins U,
poultry producer Galliance and

NGO Welfarm coming
on board in early 2020.
The labelling system has been
upgraded in two ways.
The farming method is now
displayed in the form of
a pictogram, and an E level
has been added to express
minimum compliance with
regulatory practices. “Our
ambition of deploying this

standard across France, and
even Europe, and extending
it to other farmed species,
especially pigs, is becoming a
reality,” proudly notes Mathilde
Bibal, Animal Welfare Project
Leader in the Group’s CSR
Department. “Together, current
participants already represent
10% of annual broiler
hen production in France.”

92%

of the fruit and
vegetables sold
in Grupo Éxito
banners are sourced
from local growers

MONOPRIX LAUNCHES
JE SUIS VERT
The new Monoprix Je Suis Vert
(I’m Green) line is the first
mass-market private-label line of
cleaning products to be certified
by Ecocert. Already recognised
by the Leaping Bunny label
for their commitment to animal
welfare, the products are made
from at least 97% natural
ingredients, are free of artificial
colourings, and are sold in
eco-designed packs containing
recycled or plant-based plastic.

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CARULLA’S SMART AND GREEN CONCEPT
For Carulla, smart rhymes with sustainable, so when the
banner created the first SmartMarket in Bogotá, it called
on GreenYellow Colombia to help it to sharply reduce its
carbon footprint. The store is equipped with LED lighting,
which saves some 128,000 kWh per year, and distinctive
“solar trees,” whose photovoltaic panels avoid the release
of one equivalent tonne of CO2 a year. It also has a fleet
of 18 electric vehicles for use by customers.

110,000

tonnes of CO2
are avoided each year
in France thanks to
GreenYellow’s energy
and solar power
expertise

WINNERS OF THE RESPONSIBLE RETAILING AWARDS
Casino Group and its banners took home five trophies from the
Responsible Retailing Awards ceremony organised by the Essec
business school. The Consumer Services and Information Award
was presented to Casino Group for its animal welfare labelling
initiative. In the Human Resources category, Franprix was honoured
for its partnership with social charity Emmaüs Défi, which set up
a programme to gradually hire deeply marginalised people under
permanent work contracts. Two “classes” of a dozen people each
have already graduated from the programme. Lastly, the
Environmental Impact Reduction Award was given to Cdiscount
for its innovative approach to improving the environmental footprint
of its supply chain, in particular by installing an automated packaging
system that uses less cardboard, optimising truck loads, preferring
alternative modes of transport, and responsibly managing
remainders and returns in partnership with Envie, an inclusive
employment and circular economy network.

EXPANDING AWARENESS OF NUTRI-SCORE RATINGS
Users of the Casino Max app can now access the Nutri-score
of more than 10,000 products carried on Group shelves,
as found in the Open Food Facts database. The Casino
brand has also pledged to display the Nutri-score of
its 3,000 food products, starting in January 2020, with full
display by the end of 2021.

SINCÈRE, AN ECO-RESPONSIBLE BRAND
FOR HOMEWARE AND APPAREL
Casino is continuing to phase out plastic. Sincère, the new
homeware and apparel private-label brand offers a line of
eco-responsible products, whose production and packaging
have been engineered to protect both the environment and
health. A total of 350 products have been created, ranging from
disposable tableware – plates and cups made of sugar cane pulp,
cutlery made of FSC-certified wood – to organic cotton baby
onesies and organic bed linens, with overpack made of paper
rather than plastic.

EFFECTIVE INITIATIVES TO REDUCE THE PLASTIC FOOTPRINT
In signing France’s National
Pact on Plastic Packaging, the
Group has pledged that 60%
of its plastic packaging will be
effectively recycled by 2022
and that it will design
packaging that is 100%
reusable, recyclable or
compostable by 2025. To fulfil
this commitment, the Group
has undertaken a number of
decisive initiatives, including
(i) eliminating disposable

plastic accessories like cups,
plates and cotton buds, which
Franprix was the first French
retailer to ban from its shelves;
(ii) vastly expanding scoop
& weigh sales; (iii) removing
superfluous packaging;
(iv) replacing sorting disruptors;
and (v) using packaging made
from recycled or recyclable
materials. In Brazil, for
example, GPA has replaced
600,000 plastic Qualitá and

Taeq fruit and vegetable
containers with similar versions
made from cardboard and
starch. More than 300 Casino
private-label products have
already been revised, with
5,300 more in the pipeline
by the end of 2021. At the
same time, the banners are
partnering with start-up
Lemon Tri to install plastic
bottle sorting machines
on store premises.

WHAT OUR
PARTNERS SAY

“GOOD FOOD
SHOULD BE ACCESSIBLE
TO EVERYONE”

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FANNY REY

Michelin-starred chef and Casino
brand ambassador

�
Fanny Rey, Michelin-starred chef,
Casino brand partner.
What is the idea behind this collaboration?
�

For me, it’s fi rst and foremost about reaching
a maximum number of people, and getting
right into their kitchens. These days, my work
doesn’t end with the guests in my restaurant,
my role as an ambassador allows me
to speak to a much wider audience. I’m a fi rm
believer today that good food should be
accessible to everyone.

�
As an ambassador of the Casino brand,
what are your expectations?
�

Firstly, taste. Food products only retain all their
fl avour if you keep things simple, meaning very
little processing and a short list of ingredients.
In this respect, my views are totally in line with
Casino’s policy on nutritional progress. Limiting
the use of additives and reducing fat and salt, etc.
are top priorities today for consumer health.
As an advisor to Casino’s teams, I focus
in particular on authentic fl avours and simple
recipes during tasting sessions. I also champion
responsible, purposeful food.

�
How do you defi ne responsible food?
�

We chefs have a really important role to play
in sharing our knowledge and promoting healthy
eating. I’m lucky enough to work in the south of France,
where my menu is mainly made up of fruit and
vegetables from the Mediterranean. I make an eff ort
to use animal protein sparingly when cooking. I also
use plenty of seaweed to reduce the salt content
in my dishes, and I cook more with crustaceans and
shellfi sh than with fi sh so I don’t deplete resources.
And I really use very little meat.

�
How are these choices refl ected
in Casino products?
�

Since vegetables are my trademark, I developed
the Veggie product line with Casino. I am so proud
of this range as it has almost identical specifi cations
to organic foods, with very few additives and
an optimised nutritional profi le. It’s suitable for both
vegetarians and fl exitarians. Vegetables and pulses
need to retake centre stage in food, not only
for our own well-being, but also for the planet.

“A PIONEER
IN ANIMAL WELFARE”

�
The key to advancing animal welfare is to help
consumers make an informed choice, educating them
so that they accept to pay a reasonable price for good
farming practices. This is a crucial fi rst step to
developing a viable programme, and Casino Group
understood that very well. Starting more than ten years
ago with Monoprix, a pioneer in animal welfare, our
partnership has since been stepped up as part of a
project with two other NGOs to develop animal welfare
labelling, with the aim of making it a nationwide
benchmark. It was vital to work as partners on this
project, combining the NGOs’ technical expertise with
the know-how of the Group’s teams. We managed to
get some major producers on board and, this year,
convince other major retailers to join the initiative.
They already represent 10% of the annual production
of broiler chickens in France.
�

Pr PIERRE FUMOLEAU

Director, Institut Curie hospital group

AMÉLIE LEGRAND

Senior Food Business
Manager, CIWF France

“CONCRETE SUPPORT
FOR RESEARCH”

�
Institut Curie is Europe’s leading breast cancer
treatment centre. Our approach consists of both
advancing research and improving holistic care
to patients. Because it’s important to remember
that you don’t treat a tumour, you treat a women
with a tumour – and that’s radically diff erent. By raising
funds from all of its banners’ customers, Casino Group
provides us with concrete support. In particular, it helps
us to fund a research programme on a specifi c category
of patients: young women. More than 500 of the
4,000 new female patients the Institut treats each year
are under 40. They often have very aggressive cancers,
and are diagnosed at late stages. However, treatment
protocols aren’t particularly well-suited to their needs,
as chemo and hormone therapy are violent and have
a big impact on their daily lives. We aim to set up
personalised treatments that better take into account
the implications on patients’ professional lives, family
lives, and sexuality.
�

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 8:00 am O’LOGISTIQUE FULFILMENT CENTRE FLEURY-MÉROGIS

every
day…

DARING

rédéric Garnier pulls into the
centre’s vast car park, where a
dozen brand new chiller lorries
in Monoprix livery are parked.

Soon there will be a hundred of them.
“A year ago, this was just a huge,
completely empty 36,000 sq.m. rectangle,”
recalls Garnier, who manages
the O’Logistique centre. “Today, we’re
operating the most efficient online
grocery fulfilment centre in France.”

And Frédéric certainly knows a thing
or two about food deliveries – since 2008,
he has successively managed three facilities
for Easydis, Casino Group’s logistics
subsidiary. Now he’s gone into the
building where operators are unloading
the last pallets that had been delivered
at dawn. After the products are unpacked
and scanned, and their use-by dates
recorded, they will be placed in white totes
and routed to gigantic storage racks.

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Since the start of operations on
18 March, the racks have been filling up
a little more every morning. “Today, only
a small portion of the totes are filled, but
the warehouse can store up to 500,000,”
explains Operations Manager Aslan
Renard. “Eventually, we’ll be able
to offer 50,000 SKUs for sale, or three
times as many as in a hypermarket.
Ocado technology makes the centre
more productive, which is what made
me want to be a part of this project.”
Previously a section manager at the
Leader Price warehouse in Wissous,
Aslan asked for a transfer to participate
in the O’Logistique adventure. He now
manages the centre’s operating process.

THE POWER
OF ALGORITHMS
Once everything is unpacked,
the orders can start to be fulfilled.
To understand what’s going on,
it’s important to know that the system
has already calculated the day’s delivery
rounds, based on the orders booked
before cut-off at 11:00 pm the night before.
The picking process is organised
according to this optimised programme,
which reflects the precise time slots
requested by customers.

When an operator sits down at a
picking station, dozens of robots search
the storage racks for the totes
containing the ordered products,
“pick” the right ones and bring them
back to the station. It takes just
six minutes to fulfil an order.
“When we think of this fulfilment
platform, we remember Ocado’s robots,
but in the end they’re simply moving
products around,” says Ferdinand
Tomarchio, Managing Director
of O’Logistique, who was previously
Marketing and Sales Director at
Cdiscount. “The most interesting
and innovative part of our solution
is the algorithms that underpin
the entire process. Artificial
intelligence gives us total control
over an unbelievably wide range
of products.”

OCADO SMART PLATFORM
In late 2017, the Group
formed an exclusive
partnership with the UK’s
leading online grocery
retailer, Ocado, which
deployed its high-
performance technological
platform for O’Logistique.

AN OPTIMISED
END-TO-END PROCESS
That’s because the system knows in real

time exactly which products are on the
racks and where each one is located, with
not only its SKU, but also its weight, size
and use-by date. And these aren’t just
details. During the picking process, the
screen tells the operator in which bag each
product should be placed, so as to optimise
bagging and avoid, for example, putting
something fragile next to a milk carton.
“We can even offer one-click promotions
on short-dated items, which the robots can
fetch from the right rack,” says Ferdinand.
“Absolutely everything is designed to
simplify tasks as much as possible and
support the teams in their jobs, from
unpacking to delivery.” By noon, the lorries
are all loaded. Because delivery is the
biggest irritant in the online food
purchasing process, O’Logistique has
hired its own teams to guarantee superior
end-to-end service. Before getting behind
the wheel, Donatien Tshibangu checks
his portable terminal to make sure
his load complies with the shipping list.
“The customer must be satisfied,” he says.
“We’re all working hard together to make
this project a success!”

350

jobs will be created by the
end of 2020 to staff the
O’Logistique fulfilment
centre in Fleury-Mérogis
and deliver orders across
the Greater Paris area.

“OUR TEAMS ARE BEING
ASSISTED BY ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE THROUGHOUT
THE PROCESS. IT GIVES
US TOTAL CONTROL OVER
AN UNBELIEVABLY WIDE
RANGE OF PRODUCTS AND
ENABLES US TO GUARANTEE
SUPERIOR END-TO-END
SERVICE.”
Ferdinand Tomarchio,
Managing Director
of O’Logistique

Ramping up gradually

The first of its kind in France,
the O’Logistique order fulfil-
ment centre in Fleury-Mérogis
combines Casino Group’s
seasoned
and
e-commerce capabilities with
the mission-critical contribu-
tion of Ocado’s proprietary
artificial
automation

logistics

and

intelligence technologies. The
centre is gradually ramping up
to cruising speed, when it will
be able to deliver 50,000 SKUs
in the Greater Paris area.
Initially serving monoprix.fr
customers, it will be opened
to the Casino banners before
the end of the year.

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AN E-COMMERCE
PIONEER

Already France’s foremost online retailer with
the Cdiscount success story, Casino Group
is continuing to make bold choices to strengthen
its leadership. By partnering with the world’s
greatest technology and logistics providers,
nurturing an ecosystem of start-ups and
encouraging each banner’s digital initiatives,
the Group is asserting its ambitions in online
grocery retailing and building a decisive lead
in the market.

24%

of the Group’s revenue
in France was derived
from online sales
in fourth-quarter 2019,
compared with 18%
in 2018

EXPANDING THE PARTNERSHIP WITH AMAZON PRIME NOW
Building on the success of Monoprix’s virtual store
on Amazon Prime Now, serving 52 towns in the Greater
Paris area, the partners have expanded their collaboration
to enable customers in Nice and nearby communities
to order the same 6,000 Monoprix items, deliverable in less
than two hours. Casino and Naturalia have opened their own
boutiques on the service, giving the opportunity to introduce
their private labels to people who do not shop in the physical
stores. Lastly, the Group is offering Amazon customers a new
delivery option by installing Amazon Lockers in 1,000 stores
across the country.

AN OUTSTANDING ORDER FULFILMENT CENTRE
In Bogotá, Carulla is trial-running an innovative online grocery
fulfilment centre in its new FreshMarket Country supermarket.
Orders are prepared from store inventory and then carried via
an overhead conveyor belt to the pick-up and delivery station.
Fulfilment times have been reduced by 30%.

EUROPEAN ONLINE RETAILING:
CDISCOUNT TAKES THE INITIATIVE
Cdiscount has joined with
three leading marketplaces in
Romania (eMag), Italy (ePrice)
and Germany (Real.de)
to create the International
Marketplace Network,
a groundbreaking alliance
that offers its 27,000 affiliated
merchants a single connection
interface to sell their products.
The inter-connection among

the participating marketplaces
was built by Cdiscount’s
Beez-up subsidiary.
“For sellers on our marketplace,
one click is all it takes to
access a market of 230 million
consumers,” notes Thomas
Métivier, Marketplace Director
at Cdiscount. “And for the
ones who use the integrated
Fulfilment by Cdiscount

service, we ship the packages.”
By providing solutions to
two major issues – cross-
border connection and
fulfilment logistics – Cdiscount
is actively doing its
part to support French VSEs
and SMEs in digitalising
their business and expanding
across the pan-European
market.

73%

of online grocery sales
in Brazil are fulfilled
by GPA

EPICERY X MONOPRIX
Monoprix is strengthening its association with Epicery,
a marketplace that currently offers one-hour delivery from
food stores in Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Nice and other large
cities. The banner is supporting the start-up’s roll-out in
new cities across France.

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GPA ACQUIRES CHEFTIME
In Brazil, GPA has moved into the phygital world by teaming up
with Cheftime, an online start-up that home delivers ultra-fresh,
ready-to-cook gourmet meal kits. The product line developed
especially for Pão de Açúcar stores has proven very popular,
with 350,000 meals sold since the partnership began.
This performance explains why GPA acquired the company
in November 2019. “Being slotted on Pão de Açúcar shelves
has offered Cheftime extraordinary brand visibility,” explains
Daniella Mello, Cheftime Managing Director and founder.
“By joining GPA, we’re going to move up to the next level and
capture all of the potential synergy with the banners.” Now carried
by Extra as well, Cheftime has since opened its own cooking
school, co-branded with Pão de Açúcar and intended for
the banner’s loyal customers. And since March 2020, Cheftime
restaurants have been preparing ready meals for home delivery
by James Delivery.

9.1%

growth in 2019 for
Cdiscount, which has
strengthened its
leadership in online
non-food retailing

JAMES DELIVERY, GPA’S SUCCESSFUL GAMBLE
The “last kilometre” is the final leg in a product’s journey
to the customer. While the actual distance may differ by banner,
the challenge is the same: how do you get an order to the
customer as quickly as possible, at the lowest cost and with
the highest quality service? To support its online food retailing
ambitions, GPA has acquired James Delivery, a rising star in
the last-kilometre fulfilment business. Founded in São Paulo,
the one-hour express delivery service now serves 18 Brazilian
cities. In 2019, its revenue rose by 450%, lifted by the synergies
developed with the physical stores and the seamless integration
with the banners’ applications. Now on the front lines
in keeping the community supplied, James Delivery is seeing
a surge in orders, including a nine-fold increase in April 2020.

MONOPRIX PLUS: NEXT-DAY DELIVERY OF 35,000 SKUS
The online grocery retailing system developed with UK-based
Ocado is now open to consumers. Following on from the trial
phase launched in March 2020 at the O’Logistique fulfilment
centre in Fleury-Mérogis in the Greater Paris area, 35,000 SKUs
will gradually come online through end-September for
Monoprix Plus customers, who will be eligible for free delivery
and special deals in exchange for an annual subscription fee.

FRANPRIX TAKES E-COMMERCE LOCAL
“Franprix believes that online food retailing has to be local,
convenient and backed by service,” explains François Alarcon,
Director of Strategy and Innovation at Franprix. “We can deliver
to our customers in 40 minutes, give or take 15 minutes,
and until 9:00 in the evening.” That’s because the model’s
strength comes from in-store preparation. Orders placed
via the app or the franprix.fr website are prepared in one
of the 65 fulfilment stores in Paris and the inner suburbs,
then delivered by Stuart, the banner’s long-time partner.
With 6,000 items available, from rotisserie chicken to chilled
champagne, Franprix is proudly demonstrating its leadership
in last-minute online grocery shopping.

CDISCOUNT ÉNERGIE LAUNCHES A NATURAL GAS SERVICE
Today, Cdiscount is the
epicentre of an ecosystem
linking customers, brands,
suppliers and sellers. Since
2016, France’s e-commerce
leader has been deploying
its platform strategy by
working with specialists

to develop a variety of
everyday services in such
areas as mobile phones,
energy, travel and ticketing.
In 2019, Cdiscount extended
its partnership with
GreenYellow by launching
a natural gas service for

consumers. In line with its
commitment to facilitating
access to the highest quality
staple products and essential
services, the e-tailer
is offering customers prices
that are up to 15% lower
than the regulated rate.

WHAT OUR
PARTNERS SAY

“WE ARE REINVENTING
THE FOOD RETAIL MODEL
WITH O’LOGISTIQUE”

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LUKE JENSEN

CEO, Ocado Solutions

�
The fi rst Monoprix Plus test orders
were delivered in March 2020.
What does this launch mean for Ocado Solutions?
�

It’s a major milestone! The O’Logistique warehouse
in Fleury-Mérogis is the fi rst order fulfi lment centre
operating with the Ocado Solutions smart platform
abroad. We currently have new projects in progress
in Toronto, the United States and Sweden,
but Casino Group was the fi rst foreign retailer to join
our adventure. Processing the fi rst orders just
two years and four months after signing the
partnership agreement is a real testament to the
success of this collaboration.

�
What do you credit this success to?
�

It all started with two groups coming together with
a shared vision. Casino Group aims to become a leader
in the food e-commerce segment in France, and it
understood that to get there, it needed to reinvent
its models. Being a food retail specialist is not enough
to overcome the challenges of e-commerce. Ocado
was launched nearly 20 years ago and created
an entirely new system based on a webshop off ering
the best customer experience, automated infrastructure
achieving an unrivalled level of productivity, delivery
fl ow optimisation tools, and much more.

�
Have you noticed any cultural diff erences
between a retail incumbent
and a pure player like Ocado?
�

Not really. Casino Group’s operational teams on
the project are very agile. And above all, our expertise
is really complementary. At Ocado, we have more
than 2,000 engineers working exclusively on making
processes more streamlined and effi cient. But we don’t
know French consumers, what products they
want to buy and what type of off ers they might
be receptive to. That’s Casino Group’s job.

�
What are the next stages before
launching Monoprix Plus?
�

We were able to keep the project moving forward
by taking health and safety measures into account,
despite needing to repatriate a portion of our teams
to the United Kingdom. We’re continuing to ramp up
the solution, gradually opening it up to a growing
number of Monoprix customers. Expectations are high!
The fact that we’ve been able to keep working
in such diffi cult conditions attests to the strength
of the partnership between our two groups...

“ENORMOUS GROWTH
POTENTIAL”

�
From the outset, James Delivery’s ambition has been
to be the best shopping delivery app in Brazil.
GPA was one of the only retail players that could
provide us with the necessary power to get there. The
Group’s huge network of stores gives us fantastic
visibility. In the space of a year, we went from operating
in just São Paulo to more than 18 Brazilian towns and
cities, with average monthly growth of 35%!
There’s enormous potential to be tapped by further
integrating our system with the banners’ e-commerce
apps. We’re continuing to make speedy progress, with
the ability to implement large-scale minimum viable
product testing. Today, for example, we are trialling
three diff erent picking organisation models in stores,
with the goal of deploying the most effi cient one. And at
the same time, we’ve just launched a Prime
subscription off er. We still have many features to pool!
�

NICOLAS BRUMELOT

President, MisterFly

LUCAS ICHIKAWA CESCHIN

Co-Founder, James Delivery

“A SPECTACULAR
BREAKTHROUGH
IN TRAVEL”

�
Cdiscount is a real marketplace. Its intelligence lies
in expanding product environments for customers
without having preconceived ideas about what will
or will not work, and at the same time giving itself every
chance of success by relying on specialists. To launch
its travel off ering with MisterFly, Cdiscount’s strategy
was clear: real-scale testing to quickly get the lie
of the land. Ultimately, it’s the consumer who decides.
And that’s exactly what happened. At the start, we
focused on holidays, but the fl ight off ering is what really
took off , boosted by the option to pay in four or ten
instalments through Banque Casino. With this solution,
Cdiscount removed a barrier to buying a plane ticket,
and made no secret about it. This is a key contributor
to customer conversion. It was a spectacular
breakthrough! Cdiscount Voyages now represents
15% of MisterFly’s business.
�

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 3:00 pm CDISCOUNT FULFILMENT CENTRE IN RÉAU (GREATER PARIS AREA)

every
day…

ENTERPRISING

n late 2017, Cdiscount chose Réau, a town
35 km from Paris in the Seine-et-Marne
department, as home for a new
warehouse to support its expansion
in northern France. Some 60,000 sq.m.
are dedicated to parcels weighing less than
15 kg, three million of which were shipped
in 2019. During the year, the picking
system’s centrepiece, the robotic Skypod
System, was widely deployed throughout
the centre. “The installation is 20 times
bigger than the one in our warehouse in

Cestas, in the Gironde region,” emphasises
Centre Manager Stéphane Limpalaer.
“Today, in 2,500 sq.m., we handle a third of
the centre’s picking operations. This has freed
up a lot of space.” And vacant space crying
out to be used was just what Casino Group’s
Innovation Department was looking for to
house the data centre it was planning to create
with start-up Qarnot. A joint venture, known
as ScaleMax, was formed to explore new
sources of growth in segments that fit well
with the Group’s core retailing business.

“BY PUTTING UNUSED
STORAGE SPACE
TO WORK, SCALEMAX
OFFERS COMPANIES
A CLOUD COMPUTING
SOLUTION THAT IS
ENVIRONMENTALLY
FRIENDLY, COST-EFFECTIVE
AND FRENCH.”
Samuel Goldery, Group
Innovation Department

A SUCCESS STORY
With 1,385,000 sq.m.
of installed photovoltaic
panels, the subsidiary
created in 2007 is now
an international leader
in solar power and energy
efficiency, with operations
in 15 countries.

A FAST GROWING
BUSINESS
ScaleMax’s first IT infrastructure
units, comprising 20,480 processor cores,
are being leased to companies whose
operations require massive computing
power. These include banks, but also
technology start-ups involved in 3D
rendering or fluid dynamics, such as
Flying Whales and Ascendance Flight
Technologies. “Customers come to
ScaleMax primarily to reduce their
carbon footprint,” notes Samuel Goldery,
from the Group’s Innovation
Department. “We offer a solution that
is both environmentally friendly and
cost-effective, because it takes advantage
of underused existing assets. Its other
strong point is that it’s a sovereign cloud,
whereas the data centres run by the big
cloud computing companies are rarely
based in France.” Today, the company
is seeing strong growth in demand.
After doubling Réau’s computing power
and validating the technical performance
of the heat recovery system, ScaleMax
will now be able to replicate the model
by leveraging the extensive nationwide
presence of its French retailing network,
which still has a lot of underused
storage space.

400 kW

of installed capacity at
the Réau data centre,
which will eventually be
interconnected with the
Group’s other logistics
facilities in France.

An energy-efficient choice

The ScaleMax data centre
installed in the Réau fulfil-
ment warehouse generates
with 400 kW of heat, whose
recovery and reuse in the
facility’s heating system cuts
Cdiscount’s electricity bill by
nearly €100,000 while helping

to shrink the site’s carbon
footprint. In addition, opti-
mised heat management has
enabled ScaleMax to lower
its data centre operating
energy costs by 30%,
thereby making its solution
more competitive.

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In particular, it would follow the lead
of GreenYellow, which got its start in green
energy by installing photovoltaic panels
on empty store and warehouse rooftops.
Similarly, ScaleMax planned to use
vacant space in warehouses and store
stockrooms to install high-performance
IT infrastructure.

SCALEMAX,
A RESPONSIBLE
MODEL
The creation of ScaleMax dates back
to a meeting in 2018. While searching for
new ways to profitably use excess storage
space, the Group’s Innovation teams
discovered Qarnot’s “computing heaters” –
servers packed with embedded
microprocessors whose waste heat is
recovered to heat homes and buildings
for free. Together, they worked out plans
to deploy the principle on a much larger
scale. Today, ScaleMax’s first project
is being deployed at the Réau facility,
where servers are being installed
in one of the freed-up rack
rooms to support the sale of cloud
computing services.

“To set up a data centre, you need

electricity, space and a network,”
explains Qarnot CEO Paul Benoît.
“The Réau facility has a lot of all
these ingredients. The model’s big
advantage is that the heat released
by the processors is recovered
and reused in the warehouse.”

In the 500 sq.m. rack room now

dedicated to the data centre,
Julien Delplanque has come to talk
with the ScaleMax teams about
the heat recovery project he is working
on. “Usually, in a data centre, we manage
heat with powerful air conditioning,”
explains Julien, who leads GreenYellow’s
Energy Efficiency project. “But here,
we’re designing a system that will
capture the 400 kW generated
by the servers to heat the rest
of the warehouse.” GreenYellow
is very familiar with the facility, having
installed a 100% green power supply
system for the servers.

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THE BOOM IN
BTOB SERVICES

To explore new sources of growth and increase agility
in a fast changing industry, the Group is enhancing
its business model by capturing the full potential of
its tangible and intangible assets. In energy, financial
services, digital marketing, data management
and cloud computing, its specialised subsidiaries
are driving robust growth in BtoB services, which
are set to become major new sources of profit.

51%

growth in 2019 for
RelevanC, the Group’s
data management
and digital marketing
subsidiary

BANQUE CASINO TOPS THREE MILLION CUSTOMERS
After expanding its financial services business within the Group,
Banque Casino has become the partner of choice for French
online retailers. Not only Cdiscount, but also MisterFly, Maeva,
Sélectour, Pierre & Vacances Center Parcs, Oscaro, 1001 Pneus,
and Vide Dressing all rely on the bank’s instalment payment
solutions to simplify their customers’ shopping experience.
To the point that today, these solutions are being used by more
than three million consumers. With already 25% of the market,
Banque Casino plans in 2020 to offer e-tailers a ten-instalment
plan and to extend its instalment payment solutions to Spain
and Belgium.

GREENYELLOW AND
RESERVOIR SUN TAKE
SAINT-ÉTIENNE SOLAR
The Saint-Étienne Urban
Community is planning to install
photovoltaic panels across
20 hectares on the rooftops of its
150 public buildings by 2021.
GreenYellow has won two-thirds
of the contract, which will
enable the city to produce
33 GWh to power its tramway
network and other public
services. GreenYellow will work
on the project with Reservoir
Sun, its joint venture with Engie
that in just one year has
become the leading provider
of self-consumption solar
power solutions in France.

SCALEMAX WINS 2019 BFM BUSINESS GRAND PRIZE
ScaleMax, the joint venture created with Qarnot Computing,
doubled the installed capacity of its data centres in 2019 and
won the year’s BFM Business Grand Prize in the Business Model
Transformation category.

GREENYELLOW ACCELERATES IN ELECTRIC MOBILITY
By installing photovoltaic
panels on store roofs and
car park shade structures,
GreenYellow has built its
expertise on repurposing the
Group’s underused property
assets. In France and eight
other host countries, the
subsidiary now offers its
corporate and public sector
customers a platform of power
generation and energy
efficiency solutions to support
them as they drive their

transformation. “At the same
time, we’re continuing to
innovate and capture all of
the Group’s growth potential,”
says Otmane Hajji, Chairman
of GreenYellow. “That’s the
objective of the project that
we’re leading in partnership
with Meridiam subsidiary
Allego, which will encourage
the spread of electric mobility
in France by installing ultra-fast
EV charging stations at 80 of
the Group’s French facilities.”

WHAT OUR PARTNERS SAY

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“TOGETHER,
WE ACHIEVED OUR GOAL
FOR RESERVOIR SUN”

CAROLINE FLAISSIER

CEO, ENGIE Entreprises & Collectivités

�
How did you come up with the idea
of combining the strengths of ENGIE
Entreprises & Collectivités and
GreenYellow to create Reservoir Sun?
�

We’re both part of large groups with strong
corporate cultures and customer-centric strategies,
so we share an “ecosystem” based approach,
whereby we seek to build sustainable partnerships
to leverage our impact. So in the end, it was
quite natural to pool our strengths in order
to meet our customers’ desire to redefi ne their
relationship with energy.

�
What vision do you share
with GreenYellow?
�

We have the same vision of realistic energy transition:
to develop large-scale solutions to meet our
customers’ most basic need for reliable, competitive
and low-carbon or carbon-free energy. Solar
self-consumption relies on what are now mature
technologies, which enable us to meet all
of these objectives simultaneously. Together, we
have all of the skills necessary to set up these
technologies and to provide all of our customers
with a truly tailored solution.

�
How does the partnership work?
�

We are totally complementary, and that’s why our
partnership is so successful. ENGIE Entreprises &
Collectivités, an historical supplier of natural gas, electricity
and renewable energy and a leader on the market for
companies, local authorities and homeowner associations,
contributes its expertise in energy-related technology.
GreenYellow, a leader in solar self-consumption in France,
brings its agility. We chose to set up a system of alternating
governance, based on trust and responsibility sharing.

�
What is the outlook for the partnership?
�

The fi rst results are very positive. We have secured
some 300 projects, representing almost 100 MW,
and we have more than 250 MW under development.
You could say that we achieved our goal of making
Reservoir Sun the benchmark player in the solar sector
for companies and local authorities in France. The next
step is to continue industrialising our operations, especially
in terms of construction, which is a real challenge. At the
same time, we will be strengthening our leadership with
a target of one project start-up a day and further eff orts
to adapt our off ers to our customers’ needs.

“A CHANGE OF SCALE
FOR QARNOT”

�
At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas,
Qarnot’s digital-heater concept immediately caught the
attention of Casino Group’s innovation team. The idea
was to fi nd a solution to generate value from empty
spaces in warehouses and shop storerooms. This gave
rise to the joint venture project, whereby ScaleMax
would use these empty spaces to install super computers,
whose computing power could be sold, while the heat
they released could be used to heat the warehouses.
Joining forces with a major player in the French
economy is a real change of scale for Qarnot, both in
terms of computing power and carbon footprint
reduction. Today, we are accelerating our growth
with a new fundraising operation allowing Caisse des
Dépôts, Engie, the A/O Proptech fund and, of course,
Casino Group to take a stake in our capital.
�

MICHAËL MIRAMOND

Vice-President, Business Development –
Retail, IBM Corporation

PAUL BENOÎT

CEO, Qarnot Computing

“DIGITAL RETAIL
IS RELEVANC’S AREA
OF EXPERTISE”

�
Casino Group is one of IBM’s historical clients in
traditional services such as payment, major IT systems
and more advanced technologies such as those at the
4 Casino store. To address the retail market, IBM seeks
to integrate innovative solutions that help retailers to
accelerate their digital transformation along three lines:
supply-chain optimisation, operational excellence and
sales development. And that’s precisely RelevanC’s area
of expertise. We thought, “Who can meet the needs of
our retail clients better than a retailer?” We decided to
work together to propose digital marketing solutions to
major retail players worldwide in order to improve loyalty.
Moving from a client-supplier relationship to a partnership-
based one changes everything. The teams start working
in agile mode, you discuss more openly and you build
a solution together. We already have ten or so business
opportunities in Germany, Canada and France.
�

2019 Annual Report

CASINO GROUP

BANNERS AND
SUBSIDIARIES

In France and Latin America,
Casino Group has developed a broad
portfolio of distinctive banners
that together meet the individual
expectations of every consumer.
Its fast-growing B2B services
represent powerful growth drivers.

2019 Annual Report

CASINO GROUP

FRANCE

COLOMBIA

CAMEROON

OUR GLOBAL
PRESENCE

BRAZIL

ARGENTINA

URUGUAY

CASINO GROUP
LOCATIONS

PARTNERSHIP STORES

EUROPE

OVERSEAS
TERRITORIES
AFRICA

MIDDLE EAST

Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg
Guadeloupe, French Guiana, New Caledonia,
Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin
Algeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Gabon, Guinea-Conakry,
Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia
Dubai, Lebanon, Qatar

NO. 1

retailer in Brazil
and Colombia

new partnership
stores opened in 2019

SUPPLY CONTRACTS

Andorra, Armenia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Switzerland

EUROPE
OVERSEAS TERRITORIES Martinique, Mayotte, Reunion, Saint Pierre and Miquelon
AMERICAS
INDIAN OCEAN
AFRICA

Canada, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mexico, Saint Lucia, Venezuela
Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles
Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial
Guinea, Gambia, Ghana, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, São Tomé and Principe
Azerbaijan, Cambodia, China, Georgia, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore,
Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
New Zealand

ASIA

OCEANIA

2019 Annual Report

CASINO GROUP

7,946

stores in France

CONVENIENCE
BANNERS
Franprix
Le Petit Casino
Casino Shop
Vival
Spar
Sherpa

67,000

employees

FRANCE
RETAIL

HYPERMARKETS &
DISCOUNT BANNERS
Géant Casino
Leader Price

PREMIUM
BANNERS
Casino Supermarchés
Monoprix
Naturalia
Monop’
Le Drugstore Parisien

E-COMMERCE
Cdiscount
Sarenza

CONCEPT Human scale hypermarkets off ering leading food brands with premium

traditional food sections, local produce and a vast organic range, as well
as experts in non-food produce thanks to partnerships with specialist
brands. Digitalisation is enriching the customer experience and expanding
the service off ering.

FIGURES 109 stores/14,580 employees

IN 2019

> Extension of store opening hours, with 36 stores open on Sunday

afternoons and six stores open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

> Installation of Cmax automatic checkouts in all stores.
> Expansion of the organic range, with 660 new products, including

Sincère, an own-brand range of eco-responsible household products.

> Extension of the non-food off ering by creating shops-in-shops

thanks to internal synergies at Cdiscount and Le Drugstore Parisien
and partnerships with expert brands such as Claire’s, Feu Vert, Maty
and Piery.

CONCEPT With its convenience supermarkets, the banner off ers its customers
a shopping experience focused on taste: high-quality fresh produce,
a vast organic range, food services, innovative digital services and
solutions, and more.

FIGURES 411 stores/10,360 employees

IN 2019

> Extension of store opening hours, with 100 autonomous stores open

24/7, from 6:00 am to midnight, or on Sunday afternoons.

> Partnership with Too Good to Go in all stores.
> Larger organic off ering in all stores.
> Roll-out of Sincère, an own-brand range of eco-responsible household

products.

2019 Annual Report

CASINO GROUP

CONCEPT As a benchmark player in daily life since 1932, Monoprix has built

a one-of-a-kind relationship with its urban customers through its store
network and website, monoprix.fr. Thanks to unique assortments and
private-label food, beauty, fashion and household products, the banner
makes the little pleasures in life accessible to everyone.

FIGURES 316 stores/20,275 employees

IN 2019 > Roll-out of the Monoprix shop on Amazon Prime Now (delivery

of the best of Monoprix in under two hours) in Paris, and extension
of the service to surrounding areas, Lyon and the Côte d’Azur.

> Launch of the responsible ranges Monoprix Je Suis Vert and Monoprix

Bio Origines.

> Proportion of 14% reached for organic products, the leading banner

in France.

> Roll-out of the no queue “Coupe-File” mobile payment solution at all stores.
> Opening of the new Home concept at Passy Plaza and the store at

Cap 3000, Nice.

> Monoprix as a founding partner of Make.org’s France-wide “Grande

Cause Environnement” citizen consulting initiative.

CONCEPT Franprix is the convenience banner of major towns and cities.

Its continuously evolving stores meet the needs of city dwellers who
want quality and innovation, with a comprehensive food range and areas
where customers can come to relax, socialise, eat and enjoy convenience
services, and a professional and responsible non-food offering.

FIGURES 877 stores

IN 2019 > Opening of the Darwin 2019 store, which won an LSA Innovation Award

during the year as an “innovation lab” combining a place to eat, relax
and shop with responsible commitments and convenience services.

> Launch of bibi!, a new easy-to-use digital customer benefits programme

that proposes personalised offers for Franprix customers.

> More than 1.7 million downloads of the Franprix app.
> Partnership with Hema: 250 kitchen, houseware, stationery and apparel

products available in some 60 stores.

> 50 awards, including: “Meilleure Chaine de Magasins” (Best retail chain),
“Meilleur E-Commerçant” (Best e-tailer), the 2019 LSA Cross-Channel
Award for Bibi and Taste of the Year awards for seven Franprix products.

CONCEPT Naturalia is one of France’s first organic food chains. Its offering of more

than 10,000 products, including fresh produce, dry goods, natural
cosmetics and dietary supplements, builds pleasure into the organic
experience.

FIGURES 205 stores/1,550 employees

IN 2019

> Opening of semi-urban concept “Marché Bio” in Bretigny-sur-Orge,
offering 10,000 organic products, deli counters for meat, cheese
and baked goods, a wide selection of bulk products and a broad range
of local products, as well as a drive-through service.

> Reopening of the Naturalia Bio Market at the La Rotonde venue in Paris.
> Launch of a tongue-in-cheek advertising campaign for women’s

sanitary products.

> Opening of the online Naturalia shop on Amazon Prime Now.
> Awarding of the BioED Label, a fully independent CSR label created

by and for SMEs in the organic sector.

CONCEPT A pioneer of the French-style convenience concept, monop’ responds
to the needs of active city shoppers, with a large selection of adapted
products and services and extended store hours.

FIGURES 152 stores/1,343 employees

IN 2019

> Launch of a new monop’ concept in three stores located in the 7th, 11th
and 16th arrondissements of Paris. Designed as a place for customers
to relax and socialise, the concept has a particular focus on fresh produce,
bulk, organic products, ready-to-eat and a range of services to make
the everyday special.

> Introduction of a new monop’beauty concept in Abbesses, Paris.

2019 Annual Report

CASINO GROUP

CONCEPT This network of convenience stores in the heart of towns and cities

takes a human approach to retail. Made affordable through numerous
promotional campaigns, the selection emphasises local producers,
scoop-and-weigh services and private-label products.

FIGURES 790 stores

IN 2019 > Roll-out of the Casino Max app.

> Trial of a seven-days-a-week set-up.
> Launch of a fully organic store concept: Casino#BIO.

CONCEPT Building on the banner’s international reputation, Spar convenience stores

and supermarkets are leaders in tourist areas, where their selection of
local, regional and traditional products highlights the retailer’s expertise.

FIGURES 870 stores

IN 2019

> Continued development with 10 new Spar stores opened, including

four stores with a surface area of more than 400 sq.m.
> Expansion of the organic and local produce offerings.
> Stepped-up promotional drive.

CONCEPT Based on a convenience store concept adapted to each region, Vival

is a multi-service store that fulfils its customers’ needs and provides
locals with a place to meet and socialise.

FIGURES 1,620 stores

IN 2019 > Implementation of a strong promotional drive.
> Extension of the private-label organic offering.
> Roll-out of additional VivalLivres libraries, taking the current total to 300.
> Banner’s 20th anniversary.

CONCEPT Exclusively located in mountain regions, the banner embraces the values

of this lifestyle: nature, freshness, vitality, authenticity and performance.
Sherpa is geared towards the winter sports market and is becoming the
number one store at ski resorts.

FIGURES 119 stores

IN 2019

> Opening of the banner in two new stations: La Plagne and Le Chinaillon.

> Development of organic, premium and “pocket” format offerings
to meet the requirements of foreign, young and sporty shoppers.

2019 Annual Report

CASINO GROUP

CONCEPT This multi-specialist French e-commerce leader democratises access
to the best everyday products and services. Designed as a platform,
it brings together 9 million customers, 12,000 vendors including
5,000 French vendors, close to 70 million products and an ecosystem
of industrial partners and startups.

FIGURES 20 million unique visitors/2,000 employees

IN 2019

> Opening of 80 farm pick-up points through the Agrikolis startup.
> Testing of packages that can be reused up to 1,000 times, through

the Living Packet startup.

> Development of services: launch of Cdiscount Santé (health insurance
and optician) and Cdiscount Énergie, a gas off ering with GreenYellow.

> Launch of the International Marketplace Network (IMN), bringing

together four major e-commerce platforms in Europe.

> First set of projects to come out of LeLab, the data and marketing

startup incubator.

> Return to TV advertising, with the signature ad “Le génie, c’est vous”.
> Opening of the La Nouvelle Cave specialist wine and spirits store

concept in Paris in partnership with Casino Group.

> First IT Master Class for jobseekers to learn more about software

development careers.

CONCEPT A place that nurtures well-being amid bustling city life. The banner

specialises in beauty products, personal care, services and “little extras”,
drawing on the expertise of L’Oréal.

FIGURES 2 stores

IN 2019

> Opening of a new store in the shopping centre at Saint-Lazare train station.
> Launch of an e-commerce website.
> Roll-out of dedicated product off erings in Géant Casino and Franprix

stores.

CONCEPT Operating across Europe with a selection of more than 600 brands and
50,000 products, in 2019, Sarenza becomes the new online destination
for head-to-toe fashion.

CONCEPT Leader Price discount supermarkets stand out for their balanced selection

of more than 4,000 products, including 77% under its private label,
built with a constant focus on quality at the right price. With its new
store concept, Leader Price makes shopping a pleasant experience.

FIGURES 29 countries served/240 employees

FIGURES 70 stores

IN 2019

> New signature: “Serious about shoes” replaced by “Serious about

shoes & clothing”.

> Launch of the Made by Sarenza capsule collections with inspiring,
creative women, including Marie Courroy from ModeTrotter and
Daphné Burki.

> Favor’i Bronze awarded by the FEVAD in the category “Best fashion

website”.

IN 2019

> Sale of 567 stores and three warehouses in mainland France.
> Refocusing of the assortment on day-to-day products, and increase

in the proportion of private-label products.

2019 Annual Report

CASINO GROUP

3,226

stores

COLOMBIA

PREMIUM BANNERS
Carulla

HYPERMARKETS
Éxito

DISCOUNT BANNERS
Surtimax
Super Inter
Surti Mayorista

RETAIL
PROPERTY
Viva

153,000

employees

INTERNATIONAL
RETAIL

ARGENTINA

HYPERMARKETS
Libertad

CONVENIENCE
BANNERS
Petit Libertad

BRAZIL

PREMIUM BANNERS
Pão de Açúcar

HYPERMARKETS
Extra

CONVENIENCE
BANNERS
Minuto
Mini Extra

DISCOUNT BANNERS
Assaí
Compre Bem
Mercado Extra

URUGUAY

PREMIUM BANNERS
Disco
Devoto

HYPERMARKETS
Géant

COLOMBIA

CONCEPT Carulla, a premium supermarket and convenience store banner, is the

Colombian specialist in quality fresh produce, with an enhanced market
area, traditional food sections, imported gourmet products and a vast
selection of environmentally responsible local products.

FIGURES 98 stores/4,500 employees

IN 2019

> Launch of Carulla SmartMarket in Bogotá, Colombia’s fi rst smart

retail lab.

> Recognised by America Retail as the best retailer in Colombia

in terms of innovation, sustainability and digitalisation.

> Strengthening of the FreshMarket format with the opening of 12 stores

in the country’s major cities.

> Opening of Carulla FreshMarket Country, Latin America’s fi rst store to

implement a new autonomous system for preparing e-commerce orders.

> Launch of the Carulla app, which has already been downloaded more

than 410,000 times.

COLOMBIA

CONCEPT Colombia’s long-standing No. 1 retailer, Éxito addresses a broad customer

base with a network including hypermarkets, supermarkets and
convenience stores. It has built up a locally produced apparel line which
has become an industry leader, and is developing its e-commerce
business through its exito.com website.

FIGURES 249 stores (including 9 Wow stores)/79 Éxito Express stores/

22,000 employees

IN 2019

> Celebration of the brand’s 70th anniversary.
> Recognised as one of the world’s 10 most sustainable food producers

(Dow Jones Sustainability Emerging Markets Index).

> Opening of seven Wow stores.
> Launch of the Éxito app in March with 1.5 million downloads.
> Launch of the Arkitect Maestros Ancestrales collection in partnership

with the Embera Chamí indigenous group.

> Partnership with Egan Bernal, winner of the 2019 Tour de France.

2019 Annual Report

CASINO GROUP

COLOMBIA

CONCEPT Very popular supermarkets due to their competitive off ering of quality

food products, Surtimax and Super Inter enjoy complementary
geographical locations. Both banners also support 1,300 local partner
shops, the “Aliados” networks.

COLOMBIA

CONCEPT Viva Malls is one of the retail property leaders in Colombia. Its local centres

serve nearly 1,100 retail tenants and bring consumers a variety of cultural,
sports and leisure activities.

FIGURES 92 stores/1,600 employees

FIGURES 12 shopping centres/6 galleries

IN 2019

> Highly appreciated quality of service, with customers awarding

it a satisfaction rating of 4.6 out of 5.

IN 2019

> Opening of Calle Bistró in six shopping centres.
> Arrival of global benchmark brands, including Dollarcity, H&M, Miniso,

Decathlon, O Boticario and Aeropostale, in shopping centres.

> Opening of Colombia’s largest solar farm in the Barranquilla shopping

centre, with a capacity of 1 megavolt-ampere.

> Five awards from the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC).

COLOMBIA

CONCEPT A cash & carry banner, Surti Mayorista off ers professional and private

customers a comprehensive selection, particularly in terms of fresh
produce, at the lowest prices. Surti Mayorista uses effi cient processes
and logistics suited to bulk purchases.

FIGURES 30 stores/660 employees

IN 2019

> 12 store openings.
> New wholesale off ering and implementation of personalised customer

advice on business profi tability.

> Enhancement of the customer experience with the implementation

of 24 digital kiosks, which enable customers to access discounts and
personalised off ers in real time.

BRAZIL

CONCEPT Now operating in 21 Brazilian states, Assaí Atacadista is a cash & carry
operator for small retailers and restaurants, as well as individuals drawn
to low wholesale prices. Stores off er more than 7,000 products from
major brands: dry goods, fresh produce, beverages, packaging, home
and garden, hygiene and cleaning products.

FIGURES 166 stores/43,500 employees

IN 2019

> Continued progress in the expansion plan, with 22 stores opened

and the arrival of the banner in three new Brazilian states.

> Rapid increase in sales: up 21.9%.
> Growing success of the Passaí credit card, with 430,000 new cardholders
this year, pushing the total number of cards up to over one million since
its launch.

> Launch of a payment card pilot project for the Passaí brand.

2019 Annual Report

CASINO GROUP

BRAZIL

CONCEPT The banner meets all the needs of Brazilian shoppers with nationwide

networks of two store formats: Extra Hiper and Extra Super, which feature
a wide selection of quality food products, including those under its private
label, traditional food sections, and services. Extra Hiper has added home
appliances, apparel and housewares to its off ering. Extra also develops
Mini Extra stores in São Paulo and Recife.

FIGURES 112 hypermarkets/53 supermarkets/181 convenience stores/

37,000 employees

IN 2019

> Success of the Clube Extra loyalty programme, with 60% of

transactions identifi ed.

> Launch of a new segmentation of the Extra Hiper store portfolio.
> Conversion of 70% of Extra Super stores to the new Mercado Extra

and Compre Bem concepts at end-2019.

BRAZIL

CONCEPT A new format of Extra supermarket particularly suited to the needs of
customers on the lookout for simplicity, fresh produce and low prices.
Mercado Extra is mainly developing its private-label products, which
make up more than a quarter of its off ering.

FIGURES 100 stores

IN 2019

> Conversion of 77 Extra Super stores.

BRAZIL

CONCEPT The latest concept from GPA, Compre Bem is a new supermarket

model rolled out with a regional focus to better meet consumer needs.
The banner combines a relevant selection and quality local fresh produce
and food services, along with modern payment solutions.

FIGURES 28 stores/2,500 employees

IN 2019

> Conversion of 15 Extra Super stores.

BRAZIL

CONCEPT A sustainable consumption pioneer in Brazil, Pão de Açúcar sets itself

apart with a comfortable shopping experience at its premium urban
supermarkets, its innovative services, such as expert advice at the wine
cellar and cheese counter sections, and its active loyalty programme,
Pão de Açúcar Mais. Diversifi ed in service stations and pharmacies,
the banner also operates its Pão de Açúcar Adega omni-channel wine
cellar concept in São Paulo.

FIGURES 185 stores/16,500 employees

IN 2019

> Roll-out of the Geração7 concept, which refocuses the store on its fresh
food section, healthy food products and scoop-and-weigh dry goods.
> 20 Pão de Açúcar stores renovated, taking the total number of stores

refurbished to suit the latest concept to 46.

> 86% of transactions identifi ed through the Pão de Açúcar Mais loyalty

programme.

> Strong progress in e-commerce, which now represents 6% of sales.

BRAZIL

CONCEPT Pão de Açúcar convenience stores provide customer advice, responsible

consumer options, and a distinctive off ering in an elegant atmosphere,
with stores located in São Paulo and Recife.

FIGURES 85 stores/1,350 employees

IN 2019

> Opening of 10 new stores, attesting to the success of the format.

2019 Annual Report

CASINO GROUP

URUGUAY

CONCEPT Primarily operating in the capital Montevideo and in Punta del Este,

Disco supermarkets and hypermarkets meet the needs of city dwellers
and holiday makers with a vast food off ering, and are extending
the FreshMarket store concept focused on fresh produce, snacks
and responsible consumer habits.

FIGURES 29 supermarkets/2 hypermarkets

IN 2019

> Ramp-up in promotional development with regular theme-based

campaigns.

> Continued conversion of stores to the FreshMarket concept and

two new FreshMarket stores opened.

> Launch of the Hipermas credit card in partnership with Santander Bank.

URUGUAY

CONCEPT With its supermarkets and convenience stores primarily located

in Montevideo and Punta del Este, the banner brings a quality food
and non-food off ering focused on pleasure purchases and embodying
the Home concept.

FIGURES 24 supermarkets/36 Devoto Express stores

IN 2019

> Roll-out of the FreshMarket concept and expansion of the market area.
> Development of the omni-channel strategy with the creation of a mobile

shopping journey.

> Strengthening of the Last Mile service thanks to the strategic

partnership with PedidosYa.

ARGENTINA

CONCEPT Located inside Paseo shopping centres, Libertad hypermarkets develop

attractive off erings, notably through synergies with Disco, which led to
the successful FreshMarket and Home concepts.

FIGURES 15 hypermarkets/10 convenience stores

IN 2019

> Expansion of concepts installed at Rivera Indarte: FreshMarket market

area, Home section and a mobile phone store.

> Acceleration of the omni-channel strategy and click and collect

solutions.

CAMEROON

CONCEPT This successful cash & carry concept off ers retailers 2,500 products

at low prices and also attracts cost-conscious customers.

FIGURES 1 store/80 employees

IN 2019

> Improvement of the off ering and the commercial strategy.
> Excellent performance: 1,500 customers every day, record revenues,

a high average basket and controlled costs.

2019 Annual Report

CASINO GROUP

FINANCIAL
SERVICES
Banque Casino

ENERGY
GreenYellow

NEW BUSINESS
ACTIVITIES

DATA &
DIGITAL MARKETING
RelevanC

DATA CENTERS
ScaleMax

ACTIVITIES Banque Casino is the consumer fi nance bank providing easy
access to fully digital banking and insurance services. It is the
leader in web and mobile payment solutions through its payment
facilities, instant loans and bank cards, and partner to major
e-tailers (Cdiscount, Oscaro, Vide dressing, etc.), key players in
tourism (Selectour, Misterﬂ y, Cdiscount Voyages, Pierre et Vacances,
etc.), and fi ntechs (Lydia, Bankin’), for which it creates bespoke
services.

FIGURES 3 million customers

€2 billion in loans granted in 2019

IN 2019

> Launch of new payment facilities: CB10X, a 10-instalment payment
solution, with a decision in just a few minutes, deferred payment
and deferred payments in three instalments.

> Continued roll-out of split payments with more than 100 partner

retailers.

> Implementation of the “Coup de Pouce” mini-loan service

in the Bankin’ app.
> Launch of Apple Pay.
> Launch of innovative insurance via the Casino card:

returns guarantee and grocery shop insurance.

> Implementation of new customer communication channels:

Apple Business Chat, voice bots and transaction bots.

> Development of the Banque Casino app to include new features

(in-app reminders, savings features, strong authentication).

2019 Annual Report

CASINO GROUP

ACTIVITIES An ally of the energy transition, GreenYellow addresses all needs across

the energy management spectrum. Its expertise covers all the factors
that go into the consumer’s energy bill: decentralised energy production,
guaranteed energy consumption reductions with the Energy Performance
Contract (CPE), and energy services, which aim to optimise energy
purchasing and consumption monitoring.

FIGURES 15 host countries

250 solar farms
2,500 CPEs
250 MWp of installed capacity
1,385,000 sq.m. of installed solar panels

IN 2019

> Opening of Solitude, the 16-megawatt solar farm in Mauritius, thereby

confi rming its position as the number one energy producer in the Indian
Ocean region.

> Signing of the 50th power purchase agreement (PPA) in Thailand relating
to the installation of solar panels at Makro banner sites with an output
of more than 26 megawatts.

> Delivery of the second phase of the Claro Telecom group solar farm

project, with 25 megawatts across four solar farms located in various
regions of Brazil.

> Completion of the 2.8-megawatt solar farm at El Dorado Airport in

Bogotá, Latin America’s third-largest airport.

> Completion of the largest solar farm with the largest production capacity

and the highest number of panels in Colombia installed on a
commercial building at the Viva Barranquilla shopping centre.

> Launch of the unprecedented project to install solar panels at a total
of 91 sites in Greater Saint-Étienne capable of producing more than
20 megawatts.

> New partnership signed with Meridiam and Allego aimed at deploying
France’s largest network of fast and ultra-fast electric vehicle charging
stations, installed at Casino banner car parks.

> After its fi rst year in business, Reservoir Sun, a joint venture launched

with Engie, has won its wager to become the benchmark player in solar
for companies and local authorities, with 250 megawatts of projects
in development and 100 megawatts secured.

ACTIVITIES Expert in data, digital advertising and direct marketing, RelevanC
handles all transactional and digital data for the Group’s banners,
to generate reports for advertisers that help them better understand
customers, target advertising actions and measure performance.
RelevanC has two units: advertising and retail tech.

FIGURES €67 million in revenue, up by more than 50% compared with 2018.

IN 2019

> Merger with 3W.relevanC (media and marketing solutions

for advertisers and retailers) and Maxit (digital marketing tech
solutions), under the RelevanC brand.

> Launch of the TV2Store off ering in partnership with Orange

for measuring the eff ectiveness of TV advertising campaigns
on in-store sales.

> Launch of the Smart Couponing platform, a personalised

self-service coupon system used by three banners and more
than 200 suppliers.

ACTIVITIES ScaleMax sets up computing centres in the Group’s storerooms

and warehouses, and has a cloud computing off ering to handle high
capacity operations in fi nance, 3D animation, modelling, AI and
machine learning. By powering servers with green energy and reusing
the heat generated by processors to insulate buildings and reduce
energy bills, ScaleMax is providing a fully green computing solution.

FIGURES 15 customer companies

IN 2019

> Opening of the fi rst computing centre in Île-de-France.
> Doubling of computing capacity in September 2019.

2019 Annual Report

CASINO GROUP

SOCIETAL
PERFORMANCE

With its long-term commitment
to making real and effective progress,
Casino Group fully meets its
obligations as a retailer, and makes
substantial progress that benefits
all of its stakeholders.

2019 Annual Report

CASINO GROUP

CSR: BETTER CONSUMPTION, BETTER
EATING AND BETTER PRODUCTION

As a Group that is committed to
a sustainable retail model, Casino’s
corporate social responsibility programme
is more strategic than ever.
The constant improvement in the Group’s
non-financial performance fully addresses
the concerns of customers who are
sensitive to the impact of their purchases,
and the strong commitments and results
recorded by the Group year after year give
it the bricks and mortar it needs to build
relationships of trust with partners and
suppliers, strengthen employee motivation
and attract talents.

OFFERING HEALTHY AND

SUSTAINABLE FOOD

At Casino, the Group’s ambition, and

that of its banners, is to be able to offer
healthy and sustainable food to all of its
customers, including those on the lowest
incomes. As well as increasing its organic
offering to more than €1 billion in net
sales in 2019, the Group has continued
to strengthen its range of responsible
products. Moreover, having pledged
to label all of its 3,000 food products with
Nutri-Scores by 2021, the Casino brand
has now already done so for more than
40% of products, showing the brand’s
commitment to its customers’ health, the
environment and the production chains.
Launched by the Group and three NGOs
in 2018, the first animal welfare labelling
system this year brought together
associations, producers and retailers
accounting for 10% of the annual
production of broiler chickens in France.

REDUCING THE IMPACT

OF PLASTIC

2019 was also marked by the signing
of the National Pact on Plastic Packaging,
which gave further impetus to banner
initiatives such as the removal of
unnecessary packaging, the replacement
of sorting disruptors, the use of packing
made from recycled or recyclable materials,
the development of scoop-and-weigh
services on a large scale, and the rolling out
of plastic bottle sorting machines to name
just a few. More than 300 products have
already been reviewed, and 5,300 more
products will be reviewed by the end of
2021. The Group has also stopped selling
disposable plastic products (plates, cups,
etc.), and has developed alternatives.

CONCRETE CLIMATE

RESULTS

Determined to improve its

environmental footprint, Casino Group
is the first French retailer to have adopted
carbon emission reduction targets in line
with the Science Based Targets initiative,
which is led by the United Nations’
Global Compact and the WWF. It also
committed as far back as 2015 to reducing
its Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions
by 18% by 2025, and has already met
the target, reducing emissions by 20%.
This performance is thanks to the activities
of the Group’s subsidiary GreenYellow,
an energy efficiency and renewable energy
expert, which enables it to avoid annual
emissions of 110,000 tonnes of CO2,
and, by 2022, will enable it to save
440,000 tonnes of CO2, i.e., virtually
all of the Group’s current direct emissions
in France.

PRIORITY ACTIONS FOR THE

“CSR SPIRIT” CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

PROGRAMME

Committed employer

Responsible retailer

Trusted partner

/
Promote diversity
/
Help young people enter the workforce
/
Provide growth opportunities
for employees
/
Take action to protect employee health
and well-being

/
Take action to protect consumer health
/
Encourage consumption
that is respectful of the environment
and biodiversity
/
Combat food waste

/
Strengthen ethical social compliance
/
Support local production channels
/
Promote the CSR initiatives
of suppliers

Local corporate citizen

/
Develop foundation programmes
/
Develop solidarity partnerships

Environmentally proactive,
climate-aware Group

/
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
/
Increase energy efficiency
/
Reduce and recover waste

ACKNOWLEDGED EFFECTIVENESS
Reporting to the Carbon Disclosure
Project (CDP), Casino Group
progressed in 2019 to obtain
an A- rating for the initiatives
it is taking to combat climate change.

2019 Annual Report

CASINO GROUP

100

101

HUMAN RESOURCES:
PREPARING THE FUTURE TOGETHER

Faced with the scale of change linked

to constantly evolving consumer habits,
Casino Group took the strategic decision
to accelerate the digitalisation of stores
and support the development of its teams
with greater focus on customer advisory
roles. Building on constructive social
dialogue, in 2018, the Group began looking
at ways to anticipate changes to in-store
professions. The C Ma Carrière division,
for example, was created in this spirit. It
encourages employee mobility and draws
on a network of correspondents from all
over France. Another core component is
the “C Mon Group” app developed in 2019,
which gives employees access to all job
openings and information about the
mobility support available.

SUPPORTING CHANGES

TO EMPLOYMENT

In February 2020, this commitment

was taken to the next level, when the
Group signed an agreement with employee
representative organisations to “help
checkout staff transition towards customer
service professions”, a proactive initiative
intended to involve all players in the
Casino banners. Individual interviews
conducted with the 6,000 employees
concerned enabled the Group to identify
a series of career development projects
and training requirements, and set up

a three-year skills development plan.
700 store and checkout managers will be
trained in change management in 2020
to effectively support the initiative.

PROMOTING DIVERSITY

AND EQUALITY

Casino Group draws on its strong
values to anticipate the retail industry of
tomorrow. For more than 30 years, the
Group has been committed to combating
all forms of discrimination, as it considers
diversity to be a driver of sustainable
growth.
Casino leads a proactive policy designed
to encourage the hiring of applicants from
a wide range of backgrounds, to foster
equal opportunity at every level and to
create the right conditions for social
cohesion. Today, the Group is the only
retailer to have the dual accreditation of
a Diversity Label and a Workplace Equality
Label, which were both renewed in 2019.
The Group now has a rating of 90
in the Workplace Equality index.
In Colombia, where the Group is the
largest private-sector employer, Grupo
Éxito was also recognised by the Office
of the President of Colombia for its
commitment to gender equality.

SUPPORTING INCLUSIVITY
In the same spirit of social cohesion,

the Group has made the integration
of employees with disabilities an ongoing
priority. The number of employees with
disabilities, of which there are currently
more than 8,500, has increased by 28%
compared with 2015. In Brazil, it has
increased by 94% over the same period,
with 5.3% of GPA’s workforce now made
up of employees with disabilities which
is an exemplary achievement in the country.
To continue mobilising employees,
the Volunteer Engagement Award was
dedicated in 2019 to initiatives to support
associations working with people with
disabilities. The Group also continued
with other awareness-raising initiatives
such as the publication of a guidebook
to age diversity and discrimination.
The guidebook provides managers
with the right tools to fight stereotypes,
promote the integration of young employees,
create a good working environment for
older workers and encourage the transfer
of skills and knowledge.

Covid-19: combining continuity and employee safety

From March 2020, the Covid-19
health crisis fully mobilised the
Group’s banners, which refo-
cused on their core mission: to
ensure everyone has access to
food and basic necessities. So as
not to encourage the spread of
the virus any further, the Group

has taken all of the necessary
preventative measures in stores
and warehouses, as well as
across the supply chain. Meas-
ures include distributing hand
sanitiser gels and masks, fitting
plexiglas virus shields at tills,
respecting social distancing and

regulating flows to ensure the
safety of teams and customers.
In addition, employees who are
able to work remotely have been
able to make the switch thanks
to
to
improvements made
IT infrastructures by the Informa-
tion Systems department.

2019 Annual Report

CASINO GROUP

102

103

CSR PERFORMANCE MONITORING

NON-FINANCIAL RATING

4/5

3.9/5

4/5

2.9/5

66*

A-

■ 2019 ■ 2018 ■ 2017 ■ 2016

The Group’s inclusion in these non-fi nancial indices, which comprise
the top-performing companies in terms of social, environmental and
governance criteria, demonstrates the depth of its commitment to CSR.
Since 2012, Casino Group has assigned greatest importance to the following
three non-fi nancial indices: Euronext Vigeo Eiris, FTSE4GOOD and DJSI.
In 2019, the Group was part of the following indices:
● Euronext Vigeo Europe 120, Euronext Vigeo Eurozone 120,

Euronext Vigeo World 120

● FTSE4GOOD
● Ethibel Sustainability Index ESI
● STOXX Global ESG Leaders indices
For the seventh consecutive year, Grupo Éxito was part of the DJSI Emerging
Markets index, which each year honours top-performing companies based
on a selection of economic, environmental and social criteria. Éxito is also
listed on the Euronext Vigeo Eiris Emerging Markets index.
In 2019, Casino Group was ranked fi rst in its sector by Vigeo Eiris.
It was also the best-ranking French retailer in the Business Benchmark
on Animal Farm Welfare (BBFAW), which assigned it a rating of Tier 3.
Lastly, the Group reports to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) each
year and was assigned a rating of A- in 2019.

FTSE4GOOD

VIGEO

RobecoSAM

Sustainalytics

CDP

* Change in rating methodology.

COMMITTED EMPLOYER

Consolidated workforce by country

Consolidated workforce by age

■ 50%
Brazil
■ 29%
France
■ 16%
Colombia
■ 5%
Uruguay and
Argentina

■ 47%
Workforce aged
30 to 50
■ 39%
Workforce aged
under 30
■ 14%
Workforce aged
over 50

79% of the Group’s workforce is located in France
and Brazil.

Committed to encouraging the integration of young people
into the job market, Casino has more than 85,000 employees
under the age of 30.

Consolidated workforce by type of employment contract (permanent/fi xed-term)

Group

France

Brazil

Colombia

94%
6%

92%
8%

96%
4%

89%
11%

Uruguay and 90%
Argentina
10%

Workforce breakdown by full-time/part-time employment

Group

France

Brazil

Colombia

82%
18%

73%
27%

89%
11%

80%
20%

Uruguay and 76%
Argentina
24%

■ % of permanent employees
■ % of fi xed-term employees

A large majority of Casino Group
employees (94%) are on permanent
work contracts.

■ % in full-time employment
■ % in part-time employment

Most Casino Group employees
(82%) work full time.

2019 Annual Report

CASINO GROUP

104

105

Representation of women in the consolidated workforce and in management by country

Number of ICS audits conducted by the Group

TRUSTED PARTNER

Group

France

Brazil

Colombia

52.2%
39.5%

56.1%
42%

50.9%
33%

49.6%
32.5%

Uruguay and 51%
Argentina

25.2%

Change in the number of Group employees with disabilities

9,000

8,000

7,000

6,000

5,000

4,000

3,000

2,000

1,000

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

■ % of women
employees
■ % of women
in management

The Group is active on the full range
of workplace equality issues,
including gender diversity across
job categories, career management
services for women, fairness in
human resources processes (pay,
training, hiring and promotions) and
parenthood. Casino was awarded
the “AFNOR Workplace Equality
Label” in 2013. In 2016, the Group
adopted the Women’s
Empowerment Principles backed
by UN Women.

■ 2019
■ 2018
■ 2017
■ 2016
2015

The Group employs 8,546 people
with disabilities, an increase of
almost 30% since 2015, a positive
outcome of programmes in place
for several years.
In Brazil, GPA has increased
the number of disabled employees
by 95% since 2015. 5.3% of
employees at GPA banner Assaí
are registered as disabled,
an outstanding achievement
for the retail sector in Brazil.

■ 80%
Audits directly commissioned
by the Group
■ 20%
Other

1,126 ICS
social audits
o/w 80%
commissioned
by the Group

1,126 ICS social audits were carried out in factories
involved in the production of private-label products
for the Group in 2019, including almost 80%
commissioned by Casino Group. The Group has
defined an objective of achieving 100% of active
plants covered by a valid ICS social audit (plants
based in countries at risk and producing private-label
products for the Group).

LOCAL CORPORATE CITIZEN

Donations of foodstuffs in tonnes(1)

25,000

20,000

15,000

10,000

5,000

Total donations

Donations by stores
and warehouses

Collected from
customers

(1) Data excludes Disco Devoto.

■ 2019
■ 2018
■ 2017

In 2019, the Group’s stores and
warehouses donated the equivalent
of more than 37 million meals, up 20%
compared with 2017 on a like-for-like
basis. Overall (through stores,
warehouses and nationwide
collections), the equivalent of close
to 44 million meals were made available
to food bank networks or similar charities.
The Group first partnered with FFBA
in 2009, and renewed its association
for three years in 2019.

2019 Annual Report

CASINO GROUP

106

107

ENVIRONMENTALLY PROACTIVE GROUP

Change in greenhouse gas emissions(1)

Change in Group energy efficiency

Scope 1(2)

Scope 2(3)

Scope 1 + 2

tonnes of CO2
equivalent

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

Change in greenhouse gas emissions in France(1)

Scope 1(2)

Scope 2(3)

Scope 1 + 2

tonnes of CO2
equivalent

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

■ 2019
■ 2018
■ 2017

The Group has measured the
carbon footprint of its operations
since 2009. The emissions
associated with refrigerants and
electricity use represent around
85% of its Scope 1 and 2
greenhouse gas emissions in 2019.
The observed increase in emissions
at Group level between 2017
and 2019 is mainly attributable
to the increase in business activities
in Latin America; an increase partially
offset by a decrease in the Group’s
Scope 2 emissions, thanks to
the energy efficiency measures
put in place and, more generally,
a 6% decrease in emissions
in France between 2017 and 2019.

(1) The three-year data have been extrapolated for all of the Group’s entities, see the “Key Performance Indicators” table on page 241 of the 2019 Universal Registration
Document.
(2) Scope 1 emissions are primarily composed of greenhouse gas emissions from leakages of refrigerants used in cooling cabinets in stores and warehouses and emissions
related to the transport of goods under operational control.
(3) Scope 2 emissions or indirect emissions relate to the Group’s energy consumption, which mainly concerns electricity consumption.

700

600

500

400

300

kWh/sq.m. of retail
space

Group

France

Latin America

Change in volume of waste recovered

250,000

200,000

150,000

100,000

50,000

in tonnes

Total

Cardboard

Organic waste

Plastic

Other non-
hazardous waste(1)

(1) Other non-hazardous waste: mainly wood, bone and tallow, used fuel oils, scrap and metal.

■ 2019
■ 2018
■ 2017

Improvements observed are
attributable to the continued
introduction of energy performance
contracts in all countries and
the implementation of energy
management in accordance with
the recommendations of ISO 50001.
The Group’s average electrical
intensity declined by 4% between
2017 and 2019.

■ 2019
■ 2018
■ 2017

The volume of waste recovered in
stores and warehouses increased
by 7% between 2018 and 2019.
Cardboard accounts for more than
70% of all recovered waste and
products.

2019 Annual Report

CASINO GROUP

108

109

RESPONSIBLE RETAILER

Methodology note

Unless otherwise specified, the human resources, social and environmental data concern all entities
under the operational control of Casino Group and any of its majority-held subsidiaries, in France and abroad.
Data concerning affiliates, franchises and business leases are not included. The 2019 CSR reporting scope
includes the consolidated data of store activity and the associated support services (logistics, purchasing,
human resources, etc.) of business units located in:
- France, comprising operations under the Casino, Monoprix (including Naturalia), Cdiscount and Franprix banners;
- Brazil, comprising the operations of Pão de Açúcar Group (GPA) and its entities, Multivarejo and Assaí;
- Colombia, comprising Grupo Éxito operations;
- Uruguay, comprising Grupo Disco and Devoto operations;
- Argentina, comprising Libertad operations.
Payroll data correspond to the Group’s permanent/fixed-term workforce at 31 December 2019.
Environmental data cover sites that operated for a full 12-month period between 1 October 2018 and
30 September 2019.
The indicators proposed per square metre of retail space only concern the data reported by the stores.
Data from previous years presented in this document were recalculated in the 2019 CSR reporting scope
to enable comparisons with performance indicators.

Number of certified food products obtained from organic farming

■ 2019
■ 2018
■ 2017

To support organic farming and reduce the use of pesticides,
Casino Group is extending its range of certified organic
products, with more than 22,600 national and private-label
brands in 2019, an increase of more than 40% compared
with 2017. Organic products are sold in all of its banners
to make them accessible to all.
The Group generated €1.1 billion in sales of organic food
products in 2019.

■ 2019
■ 2018
■ 2017

Committed to marketing a range of products that are more
respectful of the environment and biodiversity, Casino
Group sells more than 34,300 certified sustainable
products in its stores (up 17% compared with 2018).

25,000

20,000

15,000

10,000

5,000

Group

France

Latin America

Number of products certified as sustainable(1)

40,000

35,000

30,000

25,000

20,000

15,000

10,000

5,000

Group

France

Latin America

(1) “Sustainable” products include products which result from organic farming and identified
by a label, fair trade products, and products with certification attesting to an environmental
progress approach, including MSC, NF Environment, FSC, PEFC and European Ecolabel
labelling.

2019 Annual Report

CASINO GROUP

110

111

FINANCIAL
PERFORMANCE

The acceleration of the strategic
repositioning of the Group’s
activities, combined with the good
performance of its buoyant
formats, strengthens the Group’s
development and profitability model.

2019 Annual Report

CASINO GROUP

112

113

KEY FINANCIAL INDICATORS

SALES AND RESULTS(1)

(€ millions)

Net sales

EBITDA(2)

Trading profi t

Net profi t (loss), Group share

Underlying net profi t, Group share(3)

Consolidated net debt

Net debt of Casino in France(4)

2019

34,645

2,640

1,292

(1,432)

212

(4,053)

(2,282)

2018 (restated)

34,329

2,669

1,364

(117)

327

(3,378)

(2,724)

(1) The 2018 and 2019 fi nancial statements are presented in accordance with IFRS 16 – Leases as the Group elected to apply the “full retrospective” transition method
whereby comparative information for 2018 is restated. In light of the decision made in 2019 to divest Leader Price, this business is presented as a discontinued operation
in 2019, in accordance with IFRS 5. The 2018 fi nancial statements have been restated to permit meaningful comparisons with 2019.
(2) EBITDA = Trading profi t + amortisation and depreciation expense.
(3) Underlying net profi t corresponds to net profi t from continuing operations, adjusted for (i) the impact of other operating income and expenses, as defi ned in the “Signifi cant
accounting policies” section in the notes to the consolidated fi nancial statements, (ii) the impact of non-recurring fi nancial items, as well as (iii) income tax expense/benefi ts
related to these adjustments and (iv) the implementation of IFRIC 23 rules.
(4) Scope: the Casino, Guichard-Perrachon parent company, French businesses and wholly-owned holding companies.

CHANGE IN CONSOLIDATED NET SALES

(€ millions)

France Retail

Monoprix

Supermarkets

Franprix

Convenience & Other

Hypermarkets

o/w Géant Casino

Latam Retail

GPA

Grupo Éxito

E-commerce (Cdiscount)

GROUP

(1) Excluding fuel and calendar eff ects.

2019

2018 (restated)

Total growth Organic growth(1)

16,322

16,786

4,548

3,142

1,526

2,547

4,560

4,345

16,358

12,290

4,053

1,966

4,519

3,225

1,604

2,676

4,762

4,537

15,577

11,416

4,153

1,965

34,645

34,329

-2.8%

+0.6%

-2.6%

-4.9%

-4.8%

-4.3%

-4.2%

+5.0%

+7.7%

-2.4%

0.0%

+0.9%

-0.7%

+0.4%

-1.6%

-2.9%

-2.3%

+0.7%

+1.1%

+9.7%

+11.0%

+6.2%

-1.4%

+4.2%

PER SHARE DATA(1)

(€)

Underlying diluted earnings per share(2)

2019

1.62

2018 (restated)

2.57

BREAKDOWN OF CONSOLIDATED NET SALES

FRANCE RETAIL

■ 47%
France Retail
■ 47%
Latam Retail
■ 6%
E-commerce
(Cdiscount)

■ 47%
Premium banners
(Monoprix and
Supermarkets, including
Casino Supermarchés)
■ 28%
Hypermarket banners
(including Géant Casino)
■ 25%
Convenience banners
(Franprix, Casino Proximités
and Other)

2019 Annual Report

CASINO GROUP

114

115

EBITDA AND TRADING PROFIT

CONSOLIDATED EBITDA

(€ millions)

France Retail

Latam Retail

E-commerce (Cdiscount)

GROUP

CHANGE IN CONSOLIDATED TRADING PROFIT

2019

1,467

1,104

2,640

2018 (restated)

1,413

1,217

2,669

(€ millions)

France Retail

Latam Retail

E-commerce (Cdiscount)

GROUP

2019

676

612

1,292

2018 (restated)

618

758

(12)

1,364

The 2018 and 2019 fi nancial statements are presented in accordance with IFRS 16 – Leases as the Group elected to apply the “full retrospective” transition method whereby
comparative information for 2018 is restated. In light of the decision made in 2019 to divest Leader Price, this business is presented as a discontinued operation in 2019,
in accordance with IFRS 5. The 2018 fi nancial statements have been restated to permit meaningful comparisons with 2019.

EBITDA MARGIN

France Retail

Latam Retail

E-commerce (Cdiscount)

GROUP

2019

9.0%

6.8%

3.5%

7.6%

2018

8.4%

7.8%

2.0%

7.8%

TRADING PROFIT MARGIN

France Retail

Latam Retail

E-commerce (Cdiscount)

GROUP

2019

4.1%

3.7%

0.2%

3.7%

2018

3.7%

4.9%

-0.6%

4.0%

2019 Annual Report

CASINO GROUP

116

117

SHARE PERFORMANCE IN 2019

Casino share price
at 31 December 2018
€36.3

Casino share price
at 31 December 2019
€41.7

OWNERSHIP STRUCTURE AT 31 DECEMBER 2019

Public

Rallye Group

Casino Group employee mutual funds

Treasury shares

TOTAL

No. of shares

Voting rights

49,633,209

56,777,914

1,184,850

830,257

108,426,230

45.8%

52.4%

1.1%

0.8%

100%

52,478,720

88,884,334

2,228,350

36.5%

61.9%

1.6%

0.0%

143,591,404

100.0%

Casino
+20.1%

CAC 40
+26.4%

FIVE-YEAR SHARE PERFORMANCE

Average daily trading volume

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEPT

OCT

NOV

DEC

in number of shares

864,005

802,681

430,444

532,262

491,715

Eligible

for the Deferred Settlement System (SRD)
and for the PEA share savings plan (PEA)

Shares outstanding

108,426,230 at 31 December 2019

Market capitalisation

€4.52 billion at 31 December 2019

Stock exchange

Euronext Paris (Compartment A)

Symbol

– ISIN: FR0000125585
– Bloomberg: CO FP
– Reuters: CASP. PA

Indices

– Benchmark
CAC 40, CAC Mid 60, SBF 120, SBF 250, Euronext 150
– Sector
DJ Stoxx and DJ Euro Stoxx Retail
– Socially responsible investing

• FTSE4Good
• Euronext Vigeo indices: Eurozone 120, Europe 120
• Ethibel Sustainability Index (ESI) Excellence Europe
• MSCI ACWI ESG Leaders Index and MSCI ACWI SRI Index
• STOXX® Global ESG Leaders indices

The Casino share price is displayed in real time under “Casino share” in the Investors section
of the corporate website: https://www.groupe-casino.fr/en/.

€ millions

High and low prices

High (€)

Low (€)

Closing price at 31 December (€)

NET DIVIDEND PER SHARE (€)

20.4

30.1

22.0

24.3

30.1

50.1

27.3

41.70

0.00(1)

53.5

25.4

36.34

3.12

57.2

45.6

50.56

3.12

55.3

34.4

45.59

3.12

87.9

38.7

42.42

3.12

Source: Euronext.
(1) The amount of the 2019 dividend was decided by the Group and will be submitted for shareholder approval at the 2020 Annual General Meeting.

Several major subsidiaries are also publicly listed:

• CBD (Brazil) on the Brazilian stock exchange (segment B3) and the NYSE (USA);
• Éxito (Colombia) on the BVC in Colombia;
• Cnova (Netherlands) on Euronext Paris.

2019 Annual Report

CASINO GROUP

118

119

FRANCE STORE NETWORK

INTERNATIONAL STORE NETWORK

Number of stores at 31 December

Retail space
(in thousands of sq.m.)

Number of stores
at 31 December

Retail space
(in thousands of sq.m.)

2019

2018

2017

2016

2019

2018

2017

2016

2019

2018

2017

2016

2019

2018

2017

2016

772

848

856

916

ARGENTINA

667

726

715

733

URUGUAY

Libertad hypermarkets
Mini Libertad mini-supermarkets

Géant Casino hypermarkets

109

122

4
6

411

83
22

784

186
182
23

877

459

7
5

442

104
19

795

203
175
13

894

433

7
5

433

106
17

789

211
161
7

893

399

129

7
12

447

83
33

745

196
141
5

858

392

o/w affi liates/franchises

International affi liates

Casino Supermarchés

o/w French affi liates/franchises

International affi liates/franchises

Monoprix

o/w affi liates/franchises

Naturalia integrated stores
Naturalia franchises

Franprix

o/w franchises

Convenience

Indian Ocean

Other businesses (Cafeterias,
Drive, etc.)

5,139

5,153

5,392

6,065

259

367

239

591

209

606

185

630

701

122

n/a

700

118

n/a

726

117

n/a

783

115

n/a

TOTAL FRANCE

7,946

8,962

9,221

9,855

3,355

4,099

4,167

4,280

741

737

732

711

352

364

367

356

15
10

2
29
24
36

15
12

2
29
24
34

15
14

2
29
24
33

15
12

2
29
24
24

106

104
2

16
33
34
7

106

104
2

16
33
34
6

108

106
2

16
33
33
6

109

107
2

16
31
33
4

Géant hypermarkets
Disco supermarkets
Devoto supermarkets
Devoto Express mini-supermarkets

BRAZIL

1,076

1,057

1,081

1,135

1,963

1,860

1,811

1,814

Extra hypermarkets
Pão de Açúcar supermarkets
Extra and Mercado Extra supermarkets
Compre Bem supermarkets
Assaí (cash & carry)
Mini Mercado Extra and Minuto Pão
mini-supermarkets
Drugstores
+ Service stations

112
185
153
28
166
237

123
72

112
186
173
13
144
235

123
71

117
186
188
0
126
265

127
72

134
185
194
0
107
284

155
76

683
237
172
33
713
58

9
58

687
240
193
18
598
58

9
58

717
240
215
0
506
65

10
58

789
237
222
0
421
71

11
62

COLOMBIA

2,033

1,973

1,852

1,873

1,030

1,033

1,022

1011

Éxito hypermarkets
Éxito and Carulla supermarkets
Super Inter supermarkets
Surtimax (discount)
o/w Aliados

Surti Mayorista (cash & carry)
Éxito Express and Carulla Express
mini-supermarkets

CAMEROON

Bao (cash & carry)

92
158
70
1,588
1,496
30
95

92
161
73
1,531
1,419
18
98

90
162
71
1,409
1,278
9
111

86
166
67
1,443
1,307
2
109

485
210
66
221

31
17

486
212
67
229

22
18

485
212
64
225

14
21

475
214
61
236

4
20

TOTAL INTERNATIONAL

3,226

3,147

3,050

3,114

3,191

3,091

3,030

3,019

You can find the 2019 Universal Registration
Document and our CSR progress reports
on www.groupe-casino.fr/en

CONTACTS

Group External Communications Department
Phone: + 33 (0)1 53 65 24 29
E-mail: directiondelacommunication@groupe-casino.fr

Financial Communication
and Investor Relations Department
Phone: + 33 (0)1 53 65 64 17
E-mail: IR_casino@groupe-casino.fr

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
Phone: + 33 (0)1 53 70 51 97

External Relations Department
Phone: + 33 (0)1 53 65 64 26

Group website
www.groupe-casino.fr/en/

SHAREHOLDER RELATIONS

Casino, Guichard-Perrachon

1, cours Antoine Guichard
CS 50306 – 42008 Saint-Étienne Cedex 1, France
Website: www.groupe-casino.fr/en/
E-mail: actionnaires@groupe-casino.fr
Toll-free number: 0800 16 18 20
(calls made from France only)

To convert bearer shares to registered shares, contact the financial
intermediary handling the shares concerned, who will in turn register
them with:
BNP Paribas Securities Services – GCT
Shareholder Relations
Grands Moulins de Pantin
9, rue du Débarcadère 93761 Pantin Cedex, France
Phone: + 33 (0)1 40 14 31 00
Authorised agent for management of shareholder registration

Share capital of Casino, Guichard-Perrachon
at 13 June 2019: €165,892,131.90

Registered office
1, cours Antoine Guichard
CS 50306 – 42008 Saint-Étienne Cedex 1, France
Phone: + 33 (0)4 77 45 31 31
Fax: + 33 (0)4 77 45 38 38
The Company is registered in Saint-Étienne Cedex 2 under
no. 554 501 171 RCS

Paris office
148, rue de l’Université
75007 Paris, France
Phone: + 33 (0)1 53 65 25 00

PUBLISHED BY

Group External Communications Department

Design and creation

Photo credits

Jean-Philippe Moulet/Laurent Hazgui/Eleanora Strano/Casino Group Internal Photo Library

Illustrations

Printed by

Bénédicte Govaert

A-Print – Paris
Printed at an Imprim’Vert-certified print shop

122

every
day...

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