Auchan move may prompt Carrefour rethink

A partnership between French retailer Auchan and internet giant Alibaba could push Carrefour further behind in China and could even persuade its new boss to pull out of the country.

Alexandre Bompard took the helm at Carrefour, the world's second-largest retailer behind Walmart, in July; on Jan 23, 2018, he will unveil his turnaround plan for the French company, which issued a profit warning in August.

Bompard has to decide whether to stay or go in China, where Carrefour has spent years trying to fix a business whose sales still fell 5.4 percent in the third quarter amid fierce competition from local players and a buoyant online market.