In China, as elsewhere, the hypermarket is threatened with extinction. Today, Carrefour China has responded to these consumer habits and digital payment trends by creating a new store format. When commerce can happen everywhere, all the time and by anyone, how do you keep customers coming into the physical store, and returning several times a week?
Carrefour Le Marché, the Hyper-Urban Market
With this new idea in mind, Saguez & Partners suggested bringing the hypermarket and the shopping mall closer together by creating a single customer journey. More logical and user-friendly, it’s an attractive destination. The challenge: to unite the strengths of physical commerce (freshness, services and conviviality) with digital innovations.
On one level is the realm of fresh food, where you can eat on site or buy raw or ready-made products to go. Customers can choose fresh products from the shelves and have them cooked on the spot. For even more choice, the Food Avenue offers dishes prepared to order. On the other level, the shop offers a selection of cosmetics and small household appliances. The store’s French origin is an asset in regard to fashion and beauty. Clothes are available throughout the store. Carrefour is a brand name for baby products and imported goods. The brand enjoys a high level of trust in a country shaken by health scandals.
The Food Avenue, 100% fresh products, 100% experiences
Carrefour Le Marché targets busy urban dwellers who have little time to cook but are concerned about eating good, fresh food everyday, offering three different types of consumption: raw products, preprepared foods and ready-made meals. The concept of the Food Avenue is simple. Everyone buys what they want according to the various food offerings on site. Carrefour Le Marché becomes a place to experience, a single destination combining multiple offers and services. The Food Avenue creates a continuous flow between the hypermarket and the shopping mall. Graphics with a Chinese Five-Spice color scheme act like a manifesto that creates landmarks all along the aisle. The uninterrupted linear lighting suspended from the ceiling creates rhythm throughout the space
Carrefour China, demanding food chain transparency
For many years, the brand has built a relationship of trust with the consumer. It’s an essential value for Chinese in light of the country’s various health scandals. Saguez & Partners has created a visual identity that combines the logo of the distribution giant with that of a local market. A sign of freshness and confidence, a circle depicts an ice blue smile. Carried through on the windows and in brand communication, the TRUST label guarantees the quality of products. Large glass windows showcase white earthenware laboratories dedicated to each food trade.
Reconcile digital fluidity with the pleasure of the market
Carrefour Le Marché has a defining feature: the setting up of a payment mechanism that uses facial recognition via the WeChat application, a social network created by Tencent and used by more than 70% of Chinese. The customer no longer needs cash or plastic to pay for purchases! Carrefour Le Marché is also equipped with three other check-out methods: traditional or self scanning registers as well as scan and go technology. In China as in France, cuisine is an integral part of the culture and the lifestyle. Guaranteed freshness, a place built for experiences, a guardian of the link between the brand and its customers, digital fluidity associated with the culinary pleasures of the food trade, Carrefour Le Marché is a real reason to choose the local hypermarket.
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numbers and dates
- 4 500 m²
- 2 levels
- 1 unique customer journey
- 150 meters of Food Avenue
- 80% of products dedicated to food
- December 2016: Saguez & Partners begins its mission
- May 2018: opening of the new Carrefour Le Marché
Press contact | Cindy Gergeaux
Press release and photos available on request.