Géant opens hypermarkets in Kuwait

Casino-owned Géant has announced that it will open two hypermarkets and three supermarkets in Kuwait. Earlier this year both Emke and Carrefour opened their first hypermarkets in the country as a part of their expansion strategies.

Although expansion in Kuwait's grocery retail sector is held back by the small size of the country and the difficulty in finding appropriate retail space, the sector is nevertheless experiencing steady growth. The decision for retailers to enter Kuwait is based on the reasonable size of the population and local consumers' considerable purchasing power.

Another factor driving growth is the ongoing trade from expatriates working on the rebuilding of neighbouring Iraq, who cross the border to Kuwait, something Géant was probably considering when it chose to enter the Kuwaiti market. The company has also said that it is looking to expand its operations to other emerging markets, such as Qatar, as it looks to keep up with the competition.