Shanghai Daily news

The world's second-biggest retailer is moving ahead with plans to exploit the growth potential in hypermakets linked with major shopping malls in Shanghai's suburbs.
Following up on its Nanfang Shopping Center store in Minhang District and its outlet in Lianyang Thumb Square in Pudong New Area, Carrefour will open its third such facility today in Minhang District's Qibao area.
The store, comprising more than 9,000 square meters, is in Dragon City Shopping Mall. The facility originally belonged to Nextmall, a joint venture that closed its seven hypermarkets in Shanghai and neighboring Jiangsu and Zhejiang Province due to poor business.
"The shopping mall has many resources including stores, counters and restaurants that will attract many more customers than if we opened a independent store somewhere," said Wang Xiaozhong, corporate communications manager of Carrefour China.
"Since opportunities to locate stores in the downtown are getting scarce as the city becomes more crowded, we'd like to make use of big shopping malls and their adjoining neighborhoods in suburban areas."
The retailer plans to open another suburban store in Pudong by the end of this year. The site was rented from China Vanke Co Ltd, the real developer of a nearby residential project.
The oulet will become Carrfour's 10th store in Shanghai. The retailer now has 71 stores in 28 cities around China, including the Qibao facility. Nineteen more will be opened this year.
"Competition is fierce, but we don't view it as bad news as long as we can figure out new ways to attract consumers," said Patrick Ganaye, general manager of Carrefour China-East. As a retail giant, Carrefour is posing a threat to competitors wherever it goes.
Hymall, which runs a store only about a kilometer from Carrefour's Qibao Branch, said it is fully prepared for the debut of its competitor.
The taiwan-based retailer has posted notices saying that it will remain open for 107 hours starting from January 25, while Carrefour will operate for fewer hours.