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Amazon eyes Carrefour acquisition

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Re: Amazon eyes Carrefour acquisition

#32

Why would I, as a European, want to buy my groceries from an American company? It's not like the big shopping malls like Walmart or Costco are so appealing. Surely we can manage a suitable groceries network on our own.

Didn't Walmart once try to have stores in Germany but then gave up?

Re: Amazon eyes Carrefour acquisition

#33
post #12

Why would I, as a European, want to buy my groceries from an American company? It's not like the big shopping malls like Walmart or Costco are so appealing. Surely we can manage a suitable groceries network on our own.

Your comment points to the fact that the globalisation project we've embarked on for close to 70 years is either sick or dying... What does it matter if the company still employs Europeans and supports local economies?

American business culture/ethic writ large is not really very compatible (or welcoming) of others' practices. Hegemony sucks when you're under it.

Re: Amazon eyes Carrefour acquisition

#35

I'm French, and I can tell you Carrefour is a very famous brand in France. So to me there is no way Amazon will buy it, I just don't see this being accepted by public opinion, and thus by the French government.

> I just don't see this being accepted by public opinion, and thus by the French government Do they have a word to say on the issue?

Well, now that I think about it, Arcelor was bought in 2006, despite public hostility.

But really, Carrefour is a big name in France. If Amazon buys it and the government either does nothing or fails to prevent it, the French left-wing will go nuts.

Re: Amazon eyes Carrefour acquisition

#36
post #23
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Costco is very appealing. Have you ever been?

Might be for the way American do groceries, and usually in Europe people are way more attracted by local, smaller scale stores and buy food almost exclusively day by day. So no, something like Costco where you can buy everything at 10x the scale to save some bucks might not be as appealing for the european market, which is more into local, healthy alternatives, despite being more expensive. source: I lived half my li…

I really love and prefer the way grocery shopping is done in Europe, but it's fairly contingent on the ubiquity of those small grocers.

In the US, a much larger / lower population density country, physically getting to a grocery on a daily basis isn't practical.

I don't see this as being about "healthier alternatives" or "saving a few bucks." I can't do European-style grocery shopping in the US /despite/ my preference for it.

Re: Amazon eyes Carrefour acquisition

#37

Why would I, as a European, want to buy my groceries from an American company? It's not like the big shopping malls like Walmart or Costco are so appealing. Surely we can manage a suitable groceries network on our own.

You don’t have to buy from an American company. But you have no moral authority to force someone, in this case the owners of Carrefour, to do what you want them to do with their business. You’re not entitled to someone else’s labor or service. You’re arguing for socialism, and socialism is evil for the reason I mentioned above.

Re: Amazon eyes Carrefour acquisition

#38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I just don't see this being accepted by public opinion, and thus by the French government Do they have a word to say on the issue?

Well, now that I think about it, Arcelor was bought in 2006, despite public hostility. But really, Carrefour is a big name in France. If Amazon buys it and the government either does nothing or fails to prevent it, the French left-wing will go nuts.

They're already nuts.

Re: Amazon eyes Carrefour acquisition

#39
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Considering what Dailymotion became, I'm not sure protectionism was the right choice.

I'm definitely against it - just stating the facts!

I got you, you're right, compared to dailymotion, Carrefour is a national monument and I wouldn't bet a dollar that Amazon will be able to touch one hair of it.

ps: that said, I despise large retail stores

Re: Amazon eyes Carrefour acquisition

#40
post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm French, and that's also the first thing I thought when I read this title. I really don't see this happening, knowing how the French government is anti us tech companies (remember when yahoo wanted to buy Dailymotion?)

Considering what Dailymotion became, I'm not sure protectionism was the right choice.

The website dailymotion.com is falling apart, but the company is still doing alright by focusing on hosting videos for third party websites.

And it's good to remember that getting acquired by yahoo has been a death sentence for a few sites.

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