New European buying group

Coopernic, a new buying group established between French retailer Leclerc and Italian group Conad, will be set up in Brussels and become operational in November 2005. Conad and Leclerc have already been in cooperation since 2002 in Italy, and the new group will extend this to other countries. According to reports, there are also discussions underway about the possible inclusion of Rewe and Coop in Switzerland.