As long as the Carrefour store doesn't become a Big C…
If the message in today's Bangkok Post is correct that all Carrefour branches will be converted to Big C next year, that makes me sad. I am an almost daily guest in these shops with a very light French touch.
Big C is a megastore for the lower end of the market. A kind of Aldi, but a bit bigger and better sorted. Tesco Lotus is slightly higher, although it is also a matter of 'big is beautiful'. Carrefour is slightly higher in the market in terms of clientele, with Tops, Villa Market and other specialty stores on top. In practice, this also means that many products are for sale at Carrefour, which are also on display in French or Belgian branches. Hence the sometimes Dutch-language inscriptions. For example, you can get French cheeses, good bread, muesli and French mineral water in addition to an extensive range of wines.
Opposite the Rama 9 park in Prawet, a smaller version of the French supermarket was built more than a year ago. A great outcome, because much closer. The range of food and drink is more than sufficient for daily shopping.
If this location is converted into a Big C next year, we will of course first have a look at how the flag hangs here. Whether the desired items are still for sale here. Otherwise we turned to the new Villa Market in Paradise Park on Srinakarin Road, a bit more expensive (sometimes not), but generously furnished with Thai concepts of exotic, i.e. European, products. Just so that Big C knows that.
now come on, come on.
Coincidentally, I was in both a BigC and a Carfr yesterday. And have visited Carfrs in at least 22 other countries. (family is in the supermarkets and at AH). Everywhere else it is definitely not an upper class business - just as much of a discounter as all the others. And BigC is still (think of their fresh department) miles above what the ALDI / LIDL offers in the Netherlands - if you have been gone too long?
Carfr in Thai environments just doesn't do well. (eg bangPakomk over the river).. The range of packaged goods is almost identical in all 3-all normal Thai manufacturers, Carfr is usually just a bit more expensive. On the fresh (which has shrunk enormously in recent years in all 3 compared to the start) there is hardly any difference-Carfr has a bit more French-like bread-which always goes into the dump there at 18.00 p.m., because it is much too expensive for the Thai.
Their food courts used to be quite good but all seem to have slipped and some have already closed. But ditto with the BigC here and there.
By the way, BigC is also 50% French - so they kept it as a vest-pocket among themselves. (Casino group - which also failed to save the SuperdeBoer in NL). And BigC is smart enough to realize that in some upmarket/frang/expat parts they need to do something about their assortment.
By the way, Carfr is in many; countries under considerable pressure because their faltering strategy alienated customers everywhere. So they needed cash - and now they have it. It is remarkable that they are doing very well in CHINA - with a formula ala BigC and tesco!!
As far as I am concerned, in terms of quality products, CF No1 is followed by BigC and only after that by Lotus. Of course there is also Villa Market (expensive and limited range) and Foodland (same as Villa Market).
Personally, I don't think CF will be changed into a BigC just like that, slowly phasing it out so that customers hardly notice it would be the motto. But yes TIT.
I especially go to CF because there are a number of products that are not for sale in other supermarkets (I already did that in NL). If they convert it to a 100% BigC formula, they will at least lose me as a customer. And then I might as well go to Lotus since that happens to be the closest supermarket to me.