Retailer Auchan Ukraine started importing salt from Poland, Romania and Hungary back in March to cover a possible shortage of State Enterprise Artyomsol (Soledar, Donetsk region), located in the war zone with Russian occupiers.
The trade network has already established salt imports in April, and Ukrainians do not have to worry about the summer season of canning vegetables, the company’s press service said in response to an inquiry from Interfax-Ukraine on Thursday.
“There is European-made salt on the shelves of Auchan, which costs around UAH 25-30. We plan to sell salt of the following categories: extra, iodized, and even rock salt. The main reason for the shortage of salt is excessive demand. Employees of Auchan hypermarkets literally do not have time exhibit it, and sometimes a stock of two or three weeks is sold in a day,” the press service of the company specified.
According to her, the import of salt from Europe has been established, only within a week the retailer will receive 150 tons of salt, including 50 tons in the coming days.
“The main goal of Auchan in Ukraine is to continue to purchase products from local manufacturers. But since at the moment not all enterprises are working, respectively, not all the needs of the population are covered, the company is ready to cover critical consumption goods by attracting Auchan Poland, Auchan Hungary “and Auchan Romania. As soon as Ukrainian enterprises resume work, Auchan will again give priority to local producers,” the company’s press service summed up.
Auchan Retail is an international retail company, the first store opened in France in 1961.
Auchan Ukraine Hypermarket LLC has been operating in Ukraine since 2008. According to the Auchan website, before the Russian invasion, it had more than 30 stores of various formats (hypermarkets, supermarkets, pick up points) in nine cities, and is also developing e-commerce.
Auchan Retail Ukraine expects to reclaim ownership of the land plot in Odesa, however, in the event of a negative result in the Ukrainian courts, the company will consider applying to international arbitration, since the price set by the Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA) for this site is not fair and market-oriented, Head of Legal and Compliance of Auchan Retail Ukraine Ruslan Dubas told Interfax-Ukraine.
“On February 16, the first session of the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court took place. We hope that the court will ultimately uphold the decision of the Pivnichny [Northern] Economic Court of Appeals and will defend property rights. Namely, it will confirm the invalidity of the results of electronic auctions, which alienated the land plot at a deliberately low price,” he said.
The companies Auchan Retail Ukraine and Ceetrus Ukraine, part of the Auchan holding, defend in the courts the rights to land plots in the village of Lymanka (formerly the village of Mizikevycha, Ovidiopolsky district, Odesa region) with a total area of about 27 hectares, previously seized as material evidence and sold at an auction at a reduced price.
“We cannot now assess the damage that the company experienced by the raiding. But the state of Ukraine has already suffered losses: at least UAH 1.6 million of court fees, which were collected by the executive service from ARMA, but in fact from the state budget,” Dubas said.
As reported, the Prymorsky District Court of Odesa in April 2019 seized land plots with a total area of about 27 hectares and transferred them to the management of ARMA. Subsequently, according to a court decision in the Unified State Register of Court Decisions, ARMA sold the plots transferred to its management at an auction at a reduced price for UAH 8.765 million.
Ceetrus Ukraine LLC (before June 2018 – Immoshan Ukraine) is an international developer of shopping centers and retail parks in the country.
Auchan Retail is an international retail company. Its first store was opened in France in 1961.
Auchan Retail Ukraine has been operating in Ukraine since 2008
Auchan Retail Ukraine, part of France’s Auchan Holding, in July 2018 would open first proximity stores under the My Auchan brand in Ukraine, where Click and Collect points would be installed.
“Creating a multi-format, responsible and innovative enterprise, Auchan continues its expansion into Ukraine. Now the company has 22 hypermarket and superstore formats and will soon open the first proximity stores under the My Auchan brand to become even closer to customers and accompany them every day,” the company said in a statement.
According to it, the stores, which now operate under the sign of Topmart, require a temporary cessation of activity with the aim of restyling and updating them. So, the Topmart shop at 6A, Williams Street, is closed for restyling on 21 June, the second one will be closed on July 5.
The press service said that stores My Auchan will include their own cooked products, baked products and a cafe.
“In addition to a broader and more diverse range of products, there will also be free Wi-Fi and mobile charging points in the shops. Another feature of My Auchan stores will be the Click and Collect goods outlet, which will allow customers to order online the entire nonfood range of goods represented in the Auchan hypermarkets and get them in their proximity shop,” the company said.
Auchan Retail Ukraine, part of French-based Auchan Holding, in April 2018 will open the first store in the “superstore” format (supermarket) under the name Auchan Zoriany with an area of 3,500 square meters in the Dafi shopping center, the press service of Auchan has told Interfax-Ukraine.
“We position this store as a “superstore,” a supermarket where, in addition to practical goods and everyday purchases, you can find products for pleasure, gastronomic specialties, our exclusive brands … “Proximity” is also one of the directions we plan to develop in Ukraine. The concept and location are now under consideration and development,” the press service noted.
According to its data, the focus in the new supermarket will be made on food and own production. In addition, the infrastructure of the facility will include a cafe.
In general, Auchan plans in 2018 to open several outlets in the “supermarket” format in Kyiv.
In addition, the French retailer plans to actively develop exclusive brands, which are represented only in the Auchan network, namely Cosmia (cosmetics), In Extenso (textiles), Actuel (household goods), and Qilive (electronics).
