The German retailer ZG Raiffeisen has passed the 100-mio-euro sales barrier for the first time in its stores business segment. In 2019, the 80 Raiffeisen stores operated by the cooperative increased sales by 4.8 per cent to 102.4 mio euros. The figure includes the sales of the twelve Trèfle-Vert stores in neighbouring Alsace, which grew by 5 per cent. Pet food and regional foods were the growth drivers, it was reported at the financial statement press briefing, which was moved to Rastatt this year due to the coronavirus pandemic and related social distancing regulations.
In the first five months of the current year, the Raiffeisen stores of ZG recorded double-digit sales growth. During the coronavirus lockdown, the stores were regarded as essential and were permitted to remain open throughout. In France, where stores were initially allowed to open for just three hours a day and only returned to normal opening hours at the start of May, sales fell significantly at first. "We were able to make up the entire downturn in sales by the end of May," commented board chairman Lukas Roßhart.
