Germany's Metro Group has finalized a deal on the sale of the real,- hypermarket chain to France's Groupe Auchan for EUR 1.1 billion, the Kyiv office of Schoenherr law firm, which acted as an advisor of Germany's Hengeler Mueller, an independent law advisor of Metro Group.

Metro will transfer 91 real,- hypermarkets in Poland, Russia and Ukraine and 13 retail galleries in Russia and Romania to the French group.

As reported, the deal was inked on November 30, 2012. It is considered one of the largest deals on the M&A market in 2012.

The deal will not include the real,- hypermarket chain in Turkey, as Auchan is not presented in the country, reads the report of the real,- hypermarket chain. Stores in Germany will be left in ownership of Metro Group.

The pretax turnover of the real,- hypermarket chain in Poland, Romania, Russia and Ukraine in 2011 came to EUR 2.6 billion.

Auchan is presented with 98 hypermarkets in the said hypermarkets.

Metro had been mulling the sale of the real,- hypermarket chain since 2007.

Metro Group unites over 2,200 stores in 32 countries of Europe, Asia and Africa.

Metro Group's revenue in 2012 grew by 1.2% compared with 2011, to EUR 66.7 billion (a decline of 0.8% in 2011).

Groupe Auchan is presented in 12 countries. Its chain unites 655 own hypermarkets, 767 supermarkets and over 1,600 supermarkets operating under the franchise agreements.

Auchan in 2012 increased revenue by 7.1% compared with 2011, to EUR 60.2 billion.