In this instalment, our analysts for Central and Eastern Europe share their perspectives on some of the region’s most important retail developments. From strategic exits and consolidation to sustainability-led cost control, shopper-facing AI and fintech innovation, here’s what you need to know about this week’s key moves across CEE.

• Carrefour signals strategic shift away from eastern Europe 

• Auchan Romania pushes renewable energy transition 

• Sezamo introduces conversational AI to online grocery 

• Hungarian Forint strengthens following Péter Magyar’s victory

• Żabka expands into finance with in-app payment card pilot 

Carrefour signals strategic shift away from eastern Europe

CarrefourSA, the French Retailer Carrefour's Turkish joint venture with Sabancı Holding, is set to be sold to local discount chain A101’s parent company, Aydın Group, in April 2026, marking Carrefour’s exit from Turkey. Meanwhile in Poland, Biedronka's CEO has publicly signalled interest in acquiring a large portion of Carrefour's assets should it decide to sell, following reports that Carrefour had hired JP Morgan to advise on a potential exit. These moves align with Carrefour's broader strategic refocus on its core markets, such as France, Spain and Brazil, where it aims to strengthen market share and improve profitability through its 2030 plan.

Insight Analyst, Ziwei Huang’s view:   Carrefour’s exit from parts of Eastern Europe reflects intense local competition and shifting consumer behaviour in high‑inflation markets. Shoppers increasingly seek better value at the same price, favouring retailers with strong private‑label ranges and locally sourced supply chains to protect margins. Players such as Biedronka in Poland and BIM and A101 in Turkey have outperformed Carrefour on price and relevance. The move highlights the importance for retailers of value delivery, private‑label strength and local sourcing in inflation‑pressured environments.

For more insights, visit our Carrefour page

Auchan Romania pushes renewable energy transition

Auchan Romania has continued to advance its sustainability agenda, with 40 stores now sourcing around 60% of their electricity from renewable energy. The rollout spans hypermarkets, supermarkets and its Bucharest headquarters, supported by a mix of centralised renewable procurement and on‑site solar installations. The retailer has set an ambition to transition its full Romanian estate to renewable energy by 2030.

Insight Analyst, Bently Briggs’s view: Auchan’s approach highlights how sustainability is becoming a structural part of retail operations in Romania rather than a bolt‑on initiative. While renewable commitments are increasing across the region, Auchan stands out for the pace and scale of implementation. Beyond emissions reduction, greater control over energy sourcing and costs provides a commercial advantage, one that other large‑format retailers in CEE will increasingly need to consider.

For more on renewable energy in retail, visit our sustainability page

Sezamo introduces conversational AI to online grocery

Online supermarket Sezamo has launched a voice‑enabled AI shopping assistant, allowing customers to interact naturally with the platform to plan meals, search products and manage orders. Building on strong uptake of its earlier text‑based assistant, the new voice functionality further integrates AI across the shopping journey, combining inspiration, basket building and customer service in one interface.

Insight Analyst, Bently Briggs’s view: On a recent market trip to Romania, the growth in AI use to drive operational efficiency was noticeable. What stands out here is AI moving decisively into the shopper‑facing experience. Sezamo’s launch signals how AI can reduce friction between intent and purchase, turning technology into an active sales and service tool. We can expect shopper‑facing AI applications like this to expand rapidly online and, over time, into physical stores in Romania and across the wider CEE region

For more on the Romanian market, visit our Romania page

Hungarian Forint strengthens following Péter Magyar’s victory

The new government is expected to be more stable and market-friendly than under Viktor Orban. This has already been reflected in the economy with the Forint surging in value in the days following the election. Crucially for the grocery industry, Magyar’s Tisza party is also staunchly pro-EU. The president-elect has already held talks with EU officials and is promising anti-corruption measures to gain their trust. He is even laying plans for Hungary to be eligible to adopt the Euro by 2030.

Analyst, Theo O’Flynn’s view: This is excellent news for the grocery market and for foreign retailers in particular. Economic uncertainty has constrained shopper spending and led to the dominance of discounters. A more stable government and controlled inflation will benefit the market as a whole. Additionally, the outgoing administration’s unfriendly foreign policy created significant challenges for foreign retailers in the market. Magyar’s pro-EU focus will create a much more hospitable environment.

For more insight on the market, visit our Hungary page

Żabka expands into finance with in-app payment card pilot

Żabka has entered into a strategic partnership with PKO Bank Polski to introduce innovative financial services within the Żappka app in Poland. As part of the agreement, a pilot programme launching later this year will allow a selected group of users to test Żappka Pay, a payment card offering a credit limit. The solution is designed to offer customers affordable, transparent payments and access to Żappka app benefits even when they shop at Visa-accepting merchants outside the Żabka network. The service is backed by Visa for payment technology and Planet Pay for card issuance, with plans to scale to millions of users across the country.

Insight Analyst, Ziwei Huang’s view: Żabka's fintech move sets a new benchmark for other CEE convenience retailers, showing how loyalty ecosystems can extend into payments and fintech. Retailers with large app bases should consider partnering with local banks to capture transactional data and build proprietary payment systems. These systems offer richer consumer insights and a competitive edge. However, scale is critical. Żabka's 10 million users provide the necessary mass, while smaller chains must grow their digital footprint first.

What to read next: Five trends reshaping convenience retail across CEE

 

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