Carrefour, founded in 1959, is the pioneer of the big stores and the largest retailer in Europe and the second largest international retail chain in the world. With more than 11,000 operating and retail units, the Group's business scope covers 30 countries and regions in the world. The Group leads the market with three main business styles: Large-sized Supermarkets, Supermarkets and Discount Stores. In addition, Carrefour has developed convenience stores and membership stores in some countries. In 2004, the group's after-tax sales increased to EUR 72.668 billion and the total number of employees exceeded 430,000.