Carrefour Ends "Israel Basket" Promotion, Launches New Discount Program
Translated & summarized from Vesty by baba
Carrefour Israel is ending its government-backed "Israel Basket" promotion on October 14th due to poor performance. The chain will launch its own year-round discount program, "Carrefour Special Deal," featuring rotating items at about 30% off. Customers must spend at least 99 shekels on other items to qualify for discounts, which will be available in all Carrefour stores. This initiative replaces a program criticized for limited availability and comes as Minister Nir Barkat faces scrutiny over rising food prices.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Carrefour Israel ends "Israel Basket" promotion on October 14th due to weak sales.
- A new "Carrefour Special Deal" program will offer rotating discounts on 10-20 items twice monthly.
- Customers must spend at least 99 shekels on other items to receive discounts.
- The new program will be available in all Carrefour stores, unlike the previous one.
- Economy Minister Nir Barkat's "Israel Basket" initiative is concluding after six months.
- Food prices have risen significantly during Minister Barkat's tenure.
Carrefour Israel will conclude its "Israel Basket" promotion on Wednesday, October 14th. The initiative, launched six months ago with the support of Economy Minister Nir Barkat, aimed to lower the cost of living by offering significant discounts on 112 essential items. The state invested 50 million shekels in advertising the promotion, which was available online and in 54 Carrefour stores.
However, Carrefour CEO Inbal Herson decided not to extend the program due to weak sales and disputes over product selection, failing to achieve the expected sales growth. Consequently, the supermarket chain is replacing the "Israel Basket" with its own, independent discount program called "Carrefour Special Deal," which will operate year-round across all its stores.
The new program will feature a rotating selection of 10 to 20 popular items offered at approximately 30% off twice a month. Unlike the previous promotion, which was limited to about a third of Carrefour's branches, the "Special Deal" will be available in all stores, though discounts may vary by store format. The selection will now include hygiene and pharmacy items, previously absent from Minister Barkat's basket.
To access these new discounts, customers must purchase at least 99 shekels worth of other goods, with a limit of six discounted items per purchase, an increase from the previous two-item limit. Carrefour is also reviewing its regular prices for 100 items that were part of the "Israel Basket," aiming to maintain prices below their pre-promotion levels, with exceptions for items where supplier costs have increased.
Carrefour anticipates that the regular refresh of discounted items will maintain customer interest, while the requirement to purchase additional products will offset the deep discounts. The company also aims to rebuild its reputation, as the "Israel Basket" faced criticism for being available in only a fraction of its stores despite state funding for its promotion. This marks the end of a key initiative by Minister Barkat, who has been criticized for failing to implement broader reforms to curb rising food prices.
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