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On June 15, 1963, the first hypermarket opened its doors in France, in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois (Essonne). Six decades later, the Carrefour store is still unanimous with customers.
The first hypermarket was born in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois (Essone). On June 15, 1963, a 2,500 m2 Carrefour supermarket opened its doors. An upheaval for a client of the first hour. Raymonde alessandrini shops here twice a week. “It was the revolution. Before, you had to go to the butcher, the grocer, the baker. Here you have everything“, she assures.
“The first commercial format in France”
Fresh produce, groceries, textiles are self-service on the shelves. From the start, the enthusiasm is immediate. “We had to try, we tasted it and we enjoyed it”says Claude Hebackera retiree. This hypermarket in the heart of the city has changed consumer habits. A stay-at-home mom has been going there since a young age. “I came with my mother, then when I was a teenager. […] I always came”she explains. Today, the supermarket has tripled in size with 50,000 items on the shelves.
The hypermarket, sometimes considered too large, is called into question. But it is not likely to disappear. “It is still the first commercial format in France. […] It’s not ready to disappear […]but it will stop expanding”analyzes Olivier Dauversa retail specialist.