A Forgotten Anniversary: the First European Hypermarkets Open In
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Brussels Studies La revue scientifique pour les recherches sur Bruxelles / Het wetenschappelijk tijdschrift voor onderzoek over Brussel / The Journal of Research on Brussels Collection générale | 2013 A forgotten anniversary: the first European hypermarkets open in Brussels in 1961 Un anniversaire oublié : les premiers hypermarchés européens ouvrent à Bruxelles en 1961 Een vergeten verjaardag: de eerste Europese hypermarkten openen in Brussel in 1961 Jean-Pierre Grimmeau Translator: Jane Corrigan Electronic version URL: http://journals.openedition.org/brussels/1162 DOI: 10.4000/brussels.1162 ISSN: 2031-0293 Publisher Université Saint-Louis Bruxelles Electronic reference Jean-Pierre Grimmeau, « A forgotten anniversary: the first European hypermarkets open in Brussels in 1961 », Brussels Studies [Online], General collection, no 67, Online since 10 June 2013, connection on 10 December 2020. URL : http://journals.openedition.org/brussels/1162 ; DOI : https://doi.org/ 10.4000/brussels.1162 Licence CC BY www.brusselsstudies.be the e-journal for academic research on Brussels Number 67, June 10th 2013. ISSN 2031-0293 Jean-Pierre Grimmeau A forgotten anniversary: the first European hypermarkets open in Brussels in 1961 Translation: Jane Corrigan Hypermarkets are self-service shops with a surface area of more than 2,500m², which sell food and non food products, are located on the outskirts of a city, are easily accessible and have a large car park. They are generally considered to have been invented in France in 1963 (Carrefour in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois, close to Paris, 2,500m²). But nearly two years earlier, in 1961, GB had opened three hypermarkets under the name of SuperBazar, in Bruges, Auderghem and Anderlecht, measuring between 3,300 and 9,100m². Through an examination of the literature, an exploration of GIB archives and the stories of stakeholders in the Belgian distribution sec- tor, the article compares in detail the history of the first Belgian and French hypermarkets, which has Jean-Pierre Grimmeau is a geographer and professor emeritus at Université libre de Bruxelles never been done before. If we do not consider the (IGEAT). Specialised in population geography and in the localisation of retail trade, he has conducted Bruges location of only 3,300m², which was initially many geomarketing studies, in particular for shopping centres and public authorities. He published designed as a department store, the point of sale in the collaborative work Half a century of changes in retail in Brussels (2007, AATL, The retail observa- Auderghem (9,100m² Boulevard du Souverain), tory) and Une macro-géographie du commerce de détail en Belgique (2011, Echogeo). based on the American model of the discount de- partment store but associated with an integrated Jean-Pierre Grimmeau, +32(0)2 650 68 22, [email protected] supermarket, must be considered as the first Euro- pean hypermarket. Even if the association of food Benjamin Wayens (Senior Editor), +32(0)2 211 78 22, [email protected] and non food products under the same roof was unusual in the United States, it nevertheless ex- is published thanks to the support of Innoviris (Brussels Institute for Research and Innovation - Brussels-Capital Region) is published thanks to the support of Innoviris (Brussels Institute for Research isted. Hypermarkets are therefore an American in- vention, GB opened the first European hypermar- kets in Belgium and Carrefour spread the model of the hypermarket throughout the world, taking over most of the Belgian hypermarkets in 2000. Brussels Studies Jean-Pierre GRIMMEAU, « A forgotten anniversary: the first European hypermarkets open in Brussels in 1961 », Brussels Studies, Number 67, June 10th 2013, www.brusselsstudies.be 1 Introduction Libre-Service Actualité (LSA), the main francophone trade magazine on the subject, and the Institut français du libre service. The four above- 1. Hypermarkets are usually considered to be a French invention [for mentioned shops were characterised by a large surface area (over example Chatriot and Chessel, 2006, Daumas, 2006, Colla, 2001, p. 2,500 m²) which was unheard of in Europe at the time, self-service, the 106, Dancette and Réthoré, 2000, p.110, Cliquet, 2000, p.184, Met- combination of food and non food products and large car parks. These ton, 1995, p.63]. Lhermie [2003] in 'Carrefour ou l'invention de l'hy- are the elements which define hypermarkets today. permarché' also presents hypermarkets as a French invention and the 4. This article compares the history of the first French and Belgian first hypermarket as being in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois, which hypermarkets for the first time.2 opened on 15 June 1963 near Paris, with 2,500m² of sales area and 450 parking spaces. It will soon celebrate its 50th anniversary. The 16th Etienne Thil International Conference (2-4 October 2013) will take place 1. Belgian precedence in Paris 'in honour of the 50th anniversary of the creation of the first 1 hypermarket'. The first French hypermarket with a surface area close 5. There is, however, no doubt about Belgian precedence. Apart to 10,000m² is the Vénissieux Carrefour, which opened in 1966. from the fact that it received newspaper coverage at the time (Le Soir, 2. However, in 1961, almost two years before Carrefour, GB opened LSA, Le Commerce moderne, etc), the adventure has been told by the first European hypermarkets called SuperBazar in Bruges those who participated [Cauwe, nd, pp. 242-248, Dopchie, 2004, pp. (Scheepsdaelelaan, 3,300m² of sales area, 9 September, figure 1), 50-60] and by a later director [Baisier, 1971], and was also confirmed Auderghem (Boulevard du Souverain, 9,100m², 15 September) and in by independent researchers [Burstin, 1975, pp. 103-133, Jaumain, Anderlecht (Avenue Marius Renard, 7,950m², 14 October, figure 2), the 1996 and 1999, Michel and vander Eycken, 1974, p. 180, Coupain, latter two being located in the Brussels-Capital Region. The 50th anni- 2005, p.147] and by reference websites ['hypermarket' entry on versary would therefore have been celebrated in 2011. The Bruges and Wikipedia, 2013,3 Pederson, 1999]. The Carrefour website mentions Anderlecht locations were later reorganised as supermarkets. The Aud- the information correctly in its history section. erghem hypermarket – which is now a Carrefour – is therefore the only 6. The creation of hypermarkets in Belgium was the work of Maurice survivor among these three pioneers. It is still an excellent location, with Cauwe (1905-1985). This Solvay market development engineer (1926) the best turnover per m² of the current Carrefour hypermarkets in Bel- began his career at Innovation, leaving in 1932 to work for the depart- gium. ment store which became Le Grand Bazar d'Anvers, for which he took 3. When GB and Carrefour opened their first shops, the term hyper- on the role of director in 1941. He ended his career as president of the market did not exist yet. It was invented in 1968 by J. Pictet, founder of group GB-Inno-BM (GIB) formed in 1974. 1 Call for papers of the Etienne Thil International Conference, 2013 2 The author would like to thank the ULB archives department, where GIB archives are deposited, which made this research possible, as well as the people interviewed: Jacques Dopchie (who began working with the Grand Bazar d'Anvers in 1953, became Sales Director for GB Supermarkets in 1959 and General Director of GB Enterprises in 1969; he ended his career as Vice President and Managing Director of GIB); Pierre Iserbyt (among others: Carrefour France Store Manager 1970-72, Sarma Real Estate Manager 1972-1990, GIB Real Estate Director and then GIB Immo CEO 1996-2001); and Pierre Massin (Real Estate Administrator at Redevco, which manages the real estate stock of the former GBs). 3 But this was not the case in the Wikipedia 'hypermarket' entry on 10/9/2009, which simply cited Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois as the first French hypermarket. The 'Carrefour (brand)' entry on Wikipedia still stated in 2013 that Carrefour invented the concept of hypermarket. Jean-Pierre GRIMMEAU, « A forgotten anniversary: the first European hypermarkets open in Brussels in 1961 », Brussels Studies, Number 67, June 10th 2013, www.brusselsstudies.be 2 7. Fascinated by the United States, he started by reading everything 8. Since 1937, the development of big shops was hindered in Bel- he could find on commerce there, and then went there for the first time gium by a law for the protection of small shops. It was abolished in in 1948. The programme for the first trip was already established with January 1961 and replaced in 1975 by a new 'padlock law'. Most of the help of the National Cash Register Company (NCR) in Dayton the expansion of big business in Belgium took place in this window [Cauwe, sd, p. 49], a company which produced cash registers and between 1961 and 1975 [Leunis & François, 1988, François & Leunis, which played an essential role afterwards. 'This study trip of over a 1991]; for example, the number of hypermarkets went from 0 at the month was a revelation for me – a discovery. It provided me with an beginning of 1961 to 70 in 1975 and reached its maximum of 92 in extraordinary wealth of ideas and facts. It allowed me to learn tech- 1990 [Coupain, 2005, p.132], i.e. 5 more per year on average during niques, methods and new ways of thinking. It filled me with enthusiasm the first period, compared with only 1.5 during the second. In the years for the United States and Americans' [id. pp. 54-55]. He became espe- leading up to 1961, the abolishment of the law of 1937 was being con- cially aware of the population's increasing use of cars, the 'desertifica- sidered more seriously. Cauwe wanted to be prepared. In 1959,5 12 tion' of city centres and the development of commerce on the outskirts sites were reserved in locations on the outskirts.