French supermarket giant Carrefour will return to Czechia in 2024

After withdrawing from the Czech market in 2006, French supermarket giant Carrefour is making a comeback in Czechia through a new private label partnership with a major domestic retailer. Its products will reappear on Czech supermarket shelves next year.

Carrefour International Partnership has announced that it reached an agreement with large domestic food wholesaler JIP východočeská. Through the deal, JIP východočeská stores will begin offering Carrefour's extensive portfolio of store brand products nationwide, but the French firm has not yet announced plans to open its own store in Czechia.

"Our partnership with Carrefour demonstrates our commitment to providing Czech customers with a diverse assortment of quality items at affordable prices," Jan Plšek, chairman of the board for JIP, said in a statement.

Patrick Lasfargues, CEO of Carrefour International Partnership, called the JIP východočeská deal an "opportunity to again establish our brands firmly in the Czech Republic." He said Carrefour aims to satisfy local consumer needs through the partnership.

JIP currently operates 24 large retail stores nationwide and also supplies items to mainstream retailers – the cooperation has an extensive network of more than 200 stores nationwide. Carrefour-label products are set to appear in all stores.

The private label offerings will include a wide selection of foodstuffs such as fresh and packaged grocery items. Carrefour will also supply non-food essentials like cosmetics, cleaning products, pet food, and more.

Carrefour banners should also appear at JIP stores in the Czech Republic next year.

JIP východočeská plans to gradually roll out the new Carrefour items in its stores over the coming year. Retail analysts said house brands have grown popular for offering good value and quality compared to leading name brands. The likes of Lidl, Penny, Albert, Tesco, Globus, Billa, and Kaufland also sell their own-brand items through wholesale.

Based in France, Carrefour is one of the largest supermarket chains worldwide. While it exited the Czech market 17 years ago, the retailer has since strengthened operations elsewhere in Central and Eastern Europe. It is also the eighth-largest retailer in the world by revenue (and third-largest in Europe). It has around 12,000 stores in Europe and operates in Spain, Italy, Poland, Romania, and Belgium.

With Carrefour products returning to Czech shelves through JIP, consumers will have an additional retail option starting in 2024. It remains to be seen if the French retailer aims to eventually reopen standalone stores in the country.