French retailer Auchan scouts India all over again

About three years after it exited the Indian market, French retailing major Auchan Group is keen to return if the government allows “food plus” in foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail, official sources said.

Executives of the company recently met senior officials of the ministry of food processing industries (MoFPI) and expressed interest in coming to India, in case the FDI norms are relaxed, the sources said.

Auchan and another French retailer, Carrefour, exited India in 2014.

The government opened in February last year the food trading sector to foreign investment, with up to 100 per cent FDI, drawing little interest from international