Spanish retail group Eroski has announced it will transform 50 supermarkets into its ‘Contigo’ (‘with you’) format in 2018.
The continued rollout of this format will be focussed on the Balearic Islands, reinforcing Contigo's emphasis on customer relations and prioritising the shopper experience, according to Eroski.
The retailer will pursue the transformation of hypermarkets in the south-central region, having already started with four, in Albacete, Tarragona, Elche and Melilla, according Rosa Carabel (pictured), general director of Eroski’s Red Comercial, who spoke at a conference in Madrid.
Carabel continued by saying that Eroski would aim to remodel several stores of its Carpabo chain in Catalonia towards creating a network of ‘new generation stores’, which will be more attractive to customers and better equipped to face their competitive environment.
Northern Expansion
The retail group also announced plans to open new Eroski stores in the northern Spanish market.
"During the last year we have opened three new supermarkets and we currently have about half a dozen projects in progress that will see the light at the end of the year, " said Carabel.
The company said it will continue to promote an expansion plan for its franchised stores, ranging from 200 sqm to 5,000 sqm, including its new ‘Rapid’ convenience store format, which is expanding in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands.
Carabel emphasised the transfer on knowledge between the group’s franchises and its own teams, saying, “In 2015 we franchised the first Eroski hypermarket in Tarragona, which was an strong learning experience and yielded very good sales results. Two years later, in 2017, we franchised a store in Melilla and in January 2018 we franchised the Elche hypermarket. We are currently reviewing several dossiers to develop further hypermarket franchises.”
Eroski Club
The launch of the retailer’s loyalty scheme, Eroski Club, has aimed to strengthen the relationship with the customer, according to the retailer.
"Eroski Club has revitalised the consumer partner of the cooperative and, with this, we are able to place the client partner at the centre of the decisions,” said Carabel.
The retailer recently launched a fixed savings program of 4% on all purchases made by holders of the new Eroski Club Gold card at its store networks, including for fuel at its forecourts.
Members can avail of the saving as a balance available on their club card for the next purchase, according to Eroski.
Eroski has also updated its app to allow for a multi-channel shopping experience.
"Less than a year ago we presented the update of the Eroski app so users can continue to enjoy their shopping more conveniently and we have launched an online supermarket with a faster and more efficient user experience,” Carabel added. “As a result, we have been recognised at the end of last year as the 'Best Online Supermarket of the Year’”.
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Kevin Duggan. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
