"I was a client in Strasbourg, I have been waiting for a long time for your arrival in Israel. I hope you will lower prices!" says a young woman at the inauguration of one of Carrefour's first hypermarkets in Israel. "We would like Tex clothes too!" adds another to the address of Alexandre Bompard, the CEO of the group.
There is a crowd this Thursday in Tel Aviv, to welcome the French distributor. The trolleys jostle in the aisles. The day before, the Prime Minister himself, Benjamin Netanyahu, went unannounced to this store in his stronghold to congratulate himself that the Frenchman came to "break the monopoly" of Israeli distributors in the country. Another country, another culture.
In Israel, where food prices are 20% higher than in France, the arrival of Carrefour raises "hopes for lower prices," as the Israeli daily Haaretz headlined last week. "Israelis have been used to paying dearly for their products," he said.
This article is for subscribers only. You still have 84% to discover.
Want to read more?
Unblock all items immediately.
TEST FOR 0,99€
Already a subscriber? Log