Shopping versus buying: Louis Delhaize is trying to balance both in its very first “Open Market” in Gembloux, Belgium. The emphasis is more than ever on differentiation, transparency and sustainability, but price and promotion also play their part.
Transparency
On 12 July, the Louis Delhaize group opened the very first Louis Delhaize Open Market, a new store format that will eventually replace all Match supermarkets in the country. The 1,400 sqm store underwent a major refurbishment that started on 11 April. During the store’s closure, customers could use a tent in the parking lot. A second, slightly larger test store (1800 sqm) will follow on 15 July in Braine-le-Comte, near Brussels. RetailDetail spoke with Sabine Muller, the enthusiastic driving force behind the new concept, and with Stéphane Génicot, marketing director.
