date:Apr 19, 2013
n) from 2.14 billion last year were therefore reasonable, the retailer said on Thursday.
Consumer groups across Europe are struggling as shoppers' disposable incomes are squeezed by rising prices, subdued wage growth and austerity measures.
Smaller domestic peer Casino reported after the market closed on Thursday a drop in its core French market, including a worse-than-expected 11.5 percent fall in sales at its Geant hypermarkets, as it has yet to benefit from recent price cuts.
Casino, which