家樂福在華遭信任危機

Carrefour closed two stores in China last year, which marked the first time the French retailing giant has ever shut down part of its business in China since it entered the world's most populous market in 1995.

據新華社報道，法國超市業巨頭家樂福去年在中國關閉了兩家門店。家樂福自1995年進駐中國這個世界上人口最多的市場以來，關閉門店尚屬首次。家樂福在中國某些地區的撤離，引發信任危機，也反映了它在取得盈利方面所遭遇的難題。

具有優勢的商業模式給家樂福帶來了巨大收益，也相應刺激了零售鏈的擴張。但由于自滿和疏忽，在全國范圍內迅速擴張的同時，家樂福也開始與丑聞聯系起來，包括售賣假貨、過期物品，以及行賄地方政府官員。對此家樂福以各式的理由搪塞，并把這些丑聞歸結于員工個人行為。不過，中國消費者并未因此買賬，家樂福的企業形象也未能改觀。

Carrefour faces confidence crisis

Carrefour closed two stores in China last year, which marked the first time the French retailing giant has ever shut down part of its business in China since it entered the world's most populous market in 1995. The regional shrinkage represents Carrefour's challenge of maintaining profits in China, and has caused a crisis of confidence, Xinhua reported.

Carrefour's huge profits in China are due to its advantageous business model that's helped the retail chain grow. But complacence and negligence kicked in. Along with its drastic expansion nationwide, Carrefour started to be associated with scandals such as selling fake and expired goods, and bribing local government officials. Carrefour offered various excuses and attributed the faults to individuals, but that failed to appease Chinese customers and improve its corporate image.

(China.org.cn January 7, 2011)