French retailer Auchan opened yesterday its first store in a Petrom gas station in Romania.

The store is located in Bucharest, near the Pacii metro station, in the Militari neighborhood and covers some 230 sqm. It is a pilot project that could be extended.

A month ago, Auchan announced its plan to open 15 MyAuchan stores in Petrom gas stations. These stores will have a varied offer, including Auchan's private labels.

OMV operates some 400 gas stations under the Petrom brand. Auchan Romania opened its first hypermarket in Bucharest in November 2006. It currently runs 33 hypermarkets, with a net selling area of 280,000 sqm.

The retailer employs about 11,000 people in Romania. In 2015, it posted a turnover of over EUR 1 billion.

editor@romania-insider.com