‘The economic crisis has made Auchan reconsider its plans to put up a number of new hypermarkets. They were going to build one in each of Yekaterinburg’s districts at first, but now they will only be able to set up two hypermarkets within a course of two to three years,’ says Deputy Mayor of Yekaterinburg Viktor Konteev’s press secretary Ilona Starodubtseva.

‘They are currently finalizing the details of the land allotment purchases. The new stores are to be located on the way out of town and will operate in much the same format as the existing ones,’ she explained.