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French retailer Leclerc has raised eyebrows among the country's retail trade by posting impressive domestic turnover growth for the first half of 2012 and outdoing rivals including the world's second-largest food retailer, Carrefour, IGD Retail Analysis reports.

The company's revenue for the six months ending June 2012, excluding fuel sales, reached €15.21bn, up 8.3 per cent on the first half of 2011.

'The performance continues the trend of market-beating growth, with price and local ownership resonating with French shoppers,' the analyst said, adding that the latest results represented Leclerc's 61st consecutive quarter of growth.

According to Leclerc itself, it managed to boost its market share by close to a percentage point during the six-month period, mainly by committing to low prices.

It has also raised its sales growth forecast for the full year from 4-5 per cent to 6-7 per cent.

Elsewhere in Europe, Leclerc has enjoyed success in Poland too, reports Planet Retail.

During the first half of 2012, its like-for-like sales in the country were up 7 per cent to Zl1.34bn (€321.98m).