Brand-new Colruyt store in Péruwelz opens on same site as Aldi, on 500 m distance from former site

Monday, October 21, 2019

2 competitors on 1 site

'In 2003 we converted the old Battard store in Péruwelz into a Colruyt store', Frédéric Destrebecq explains. 'In the meantime the store had become too small to guarantee optimal service to our customers. Enlarging was no option. That is why we decided to build a brand-new store within a stone's throw, on a much larger site.'

The new Colruyt store is right next to an Aldi store. What's more, the two stores share the same parking area with 160 spaces for the clients of Colruyt.  This is the first time in Belgium that two competing food stores join hands in such a way. 'The collaboration between the project manager and the municipality on the one hand and with Aldi on the other went particularly well', the store manager continues.

Shop more efficiently

With a floor space of over 1,500 m², the new Colruyt store is one quarter larger than the former one. Store manager Frédéric Destrebecq: 'This means we can expand our assortment and make the aisles wider so our customers can shop even more efficiently. We also added an extra checkout.'

Head butcher Stéphane Lecat: 'Customers can choose their meat from the self-service butcher's counter. There they can see the butchers at work in an open workshop and talk to them if they have questions or special orders.'

Saving time and costs

The new Colruyt Péruwelz is equipped with electronic price labels. 'These are energy-efficient and better for the environment than paper labels', the store manager informs us. 'This new system enables us to react to price changes at our competitors much faster, giving our employees more time to work on other tasks such as shelving products. Moreover, the electronic labels allow us to considerably cut down on transport and save 75 millions of labels or 90 tonnes of paper every year."

Collect&Go shops for the customers

The site also includes a new Collect&Go pick-up point, which is a lot larger than the former one, enabling them to prepare more reservations. 'Collect&Go is a handy Colruyt Group service where we shop for the customers', store manager Frédéric Destrebecq says. 'They send their shopping list to collectandgo.be or via the app, and the Collect&Go employees have their products ready at the pick-up point by the day and time of their choice.'

Putting a stop to fossil fuels

Colruyt Péruwelz is a low-energy store with optimum façade and roof insulation. The building is also hermetically sealed. The stores are equipped with sustainable technology such as solar panels, a propane-based refrigeration system, heat recovery from the refrigeration system. As a result, the store is fossil fuel free. Frédéric Destrebecq: 'This project is part of a more comprehensive renovation plan: by 2029, all Colruyt Group stores should be low-energy stores. The group's CO₂ emissions have to go down by 4 %.'

Special open house on 22 October

From Wednesday 23 October, store manager Frédéric Destrebecq, head butcher Stéphane Lecat and their 28 co-workers will welcome their customers at the new Colruyt Péruwelz.

'The evening before, between 5 and 8 pm, they can already discover the new store during a special open evening, which will be attended by the mayor Vincent Palermo", the store manager says. 'We will gladly offer our customers some refreshments. Everyone is most welcome!'
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More information? A talk with the store manager? Photographs of the new stores or the Collect&Go pick-up point?

Feel free to contact:

Jean-Louis Dethise (regional manager) at 02 345 2345
​ Yana Morren (press officer Colruyt) at 0473 92 45 10

Practical information:

Colruyt Péruwelz
​ Rue Neuve Chaussée 157
​ 7600 Péruwelz

Opening hours:

Mon - Sat:8.30 am - 8 pm
​ Fri:8.30 am - 9 pm

Open evening:

Tuesday 22 October from 5 pm to 8 pm