French retailer Carrefour has reported a 5.2 per cent increase in consolidated sales (at constant exchange rates) for the second quarter.
Sales including VAT totaled €20.5bn, rising by 0.3 per cent compared with the year-earlier period.
The company attributed such a small increase to changes in the exchange rate, as well as a drop in petrol prices and the late arrival of the Easter holidays.
In Europe, sales grew by 1.9 per cent to €15.2bn, with France recording a 2 per cent increase and the rest of Europe 1.8 per cent.
In emerging markets, sales fell by 4 per cent at actual rates, but rose by 13.8 per cent at constant exchange rates.
In France, organic sales growth continued in all types of store, with sales at hypermarkets increasing by 0.9 per cent and supermarket sales rising by 3 per cent.
