Metro owned Makro Belgium has announced that it intends to introduce a more 'professional product range' as well as a return to bigger packages, according to Retail Detail.
The wholesaler said it wants to return to its 'better days', as CEO Vincent Nolf admitted that the chain is currently in 'intensive care'.
The group's turnover has dropped from €567 million three years ago to €482 million in 2017. Since 2011, there has been an annual decrease of 5% in footfall. However, Nolf said that there will be no job cuts, rather a focus on a new commercial strategy, Retail Detail reported.
Three Objectives
"We have to give our customers reasons to return to our stores," Nolf said. In order to achieve this, he has laid out three objectives for the business: 45,000 new customers annually, letting existing customers return more frequently and enticing them to larger purchases.
Makro aims to entice regular customers with the concept that they can 'buy like a pro'. The company is also attempting to win back customers that are looking for larger pack sizes.
When asked if he felt these schemes would be enough to win back customers, Nolf replied "I believe so".
"We still have a lot of fans in Belgium and as we have developed this plan together with our employees, we are sure that it will be implemented well … At the end of 2019, we should really see a positive trend."
Nolf did, however, rule out a return to a positive profit in the next three years.
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Aidan O'Sullivan. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
