Casino’s consolidated net sales contracted by a reported 1.4% in the third quarter of 2009, on the back of a 2.6% decline in the first half.

Reported sales in France were down 5.3%, a performance in line with the first-half trend.

Overseas, reported growth came to 6%, up from 2.4% in the first half, reflecting strong momentum in emerging markets, led by Brazil and the consolidation of Ponto Frio by Grupo Pão de Açúcar in July. The currency effect was a negative 0.7%, caused mainly by the decline in the Brazilian real and the Argentine peso against the euro.