Metro Romania, the first retailer to post lower sales

The German group is also operating the Real hypermarket network, which posted €638 million in net sales last year, up 74 percent year-on-year, due to expansion and organic growth. The substantial increase in Real’s business raised Metro’s local net sales to €2.1 bln, nine percent higher compared to 2007. Metro continues to rank first among top local commercial groups, followed by the German Rewe group, with €1.49 bln in business, up 11 percent year-on-year, and the French Carrefour group, with €1.19 bln in sales, 37 percent higher than in 2007. At group level, Metro posted sales worth some €68 bln in 2008, up about six percent year-on-year. Excluding the effects of exchange rate fluctuations, the rise exceeds the six percent threshold set by company officials for last year. According to estimates made at the beginning of 208, the Romanian fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) trade market should have reached €40 bln, of which 40 percent would be controlled by modern commerce. This year’s trend indicates that Romania’s modern trade (supermarkets, hypermarkets, discounters, and cash&carry) will continue developing. (I.G.)