BRUSSELS, February 2009 – ‘An enterprising spirit lies at the heart of our passion,’ is a major value for the Yves Rocher Group and one which also applies to TOSHIBA TEC Europe following the successful ICT make-over of 550 Yves Rocher stores in France.

Yves Rocher is a family-owned French multinational brand, (part of the Yves Rocher Group), generating in 2007, in 80 countries, a turnover of 1.3 billion €.

The grower-manufacturer-retailer brand, celebrating soon its 50th birthday, founder of the new concept in the cosmetology market called "Botanical Beauty®", has a strong worldwide presence with more than 1,600 of both self-owned Beauty Centers or franchised Beauty Centers, and around 3,500 Beauty Institutes.

Yves Rocher Brand represents today 30 million consumers (1 out of 3 French women use Yves Rocher products¹), offering 700 products covering the 5 cosmetics ranges, manufacturing 300 million products every year and distributing over 26 million parcels worldwide.

In 2007, Yves Rocher selected TOSHIBA TEC as the platform capable of supporting their growth strategy through the development of a best practices approach, following a series of successful pilot projects managed by TOSHIBA TEC.

“TOSHIBA TEC Europe is the designated system integrator for the Yves Rocher ICT program and teamed up with several qualified technology partners.”

The installation of a new ICT configuration at 550 Beauty Centers in France is the first phase of a two-year ICT program designed to introduce efficiencies that will further optimise Yves Rocher’s retail operations in Europe.

TOSHIBA TEC = Total Solutions

TOSHIBA TEC offers a clear focus on a centralized approach for companies seeking powerful sales, marketing and service functionality across Europe.

Yves Rocher Brand aims to centralize the project’s control at its European ICT center in Tournai, Belgium. The execution of the program will then be managed through the five local Yves Rocher Group support centers in its five European Sales Zones.

TOSHIBA TEC is ready to mirror this operation, managing overall control from its European head office in Brussels while the deployment and installation will be handled by TOSHIBA TEC’s local branches in Europe.

The availability of a strong network of local offices is ideal for such a one-stop shopping project involving multiple countries.

“This solution helps managers prioritize and plan projects according to available resources and then manage project execution by providing all stakeholders with real-time visibility into critical project data,” Philippe Dal, European Project Coordinator TOSHIBA TEC said.

The TOSHIBA TEC hardware suite based on the 2 GHz ST-7000 POS terminal was selected as the best solution over competing offerings because Yves Rocher determined that TOSHIBA provide better functionality and a solution that is easier to manage and operate.

In addition to a new networking and telecommunication configuration, the set up included a 300dpi printer for printing sophisticated plastic loyalty cards; EloTouch Systems touch screens, AGP cash drawers and Metrologic Auto ID hardware.

Deployment in Record Time

The TOSHIBA TEC deployment teams ramped up in fast tempo, reaching a roll-out rate of 50 stores per week.

With a phased roadmap for delivering results 550 Yves Rocher stores throughout France received their ICT make over in time and with a minimum of interference in the day-to-day management of the beauty centers.

“We are more than delighted to partner with TOSHIBA TEC Europe,” Pierre Galiègue, Yves Rocher, said. “TOSHIBA TEC went beyond the call of duty to successfully execute a complex ICT project that also included a huge geographical challenge.”

The next phase of the roll-out is due to start in a few weeks’ time.

RoHS and beyond

The 2008 brand company slogan ‘Yves Rocher, the creator of Botanical Beauty®’ is entirely in sync with TOSHIBA TEC’s policy of taking care of people’s health and safety as well as conserving global resources.

TOSHIBA TEC prides itself that on its own initiative - instead of the six hazardous products that needed to be excluded from hardware products under the 2006 EU RoHS Directive, a total of 15 such products are in the process of being replaced with harmless substitutes in TOSHIBA TEC POS hardware.

About Yves Rocher Group

The Yves Rocher Group (Docteur Pierre Ricaud, Daniel Jouvance, Galerie Noémie, Isabel Derroisné, Kiotis, Petit Bateau, Stanhome & Yves Rocher) achieved a 2007 turnover of around $ 2billion euros, in an identical scope, up 1.4% over the previous year, at current exchange rates. The Group ranks, in 2007, 17th in the world of beauty sales, all cosmetics markets included .With 15,000 employees and more than 250,000 indirect jobs, the Group has a presence on all five continents via three major distribution channels: Mail Order Sales, In-Stores Sales, Direct Sales, and a newer channel, On-line Sales.

About TOSHIBA TEC Europe

TOSHIBA TEC Europe (TERIS) manages product planning, marketing, sales, service support and distribution of point of sale systems, cash registers, scales, barcode printers, peripherals and software information systems throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa. As a total solution provider, TOSHIBA TEC Europe offers a complete package from consulting and system design to system installation, operation and maintenance.
Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium TERIS has three divisions: the Retail division; the Auto ID division and the Services division.
TOSHIBA TEC is an independent operating company of Toshiba Corporation, the seventh largest electronics/electrical equipment company and the world's 91st largest company in terms of sales. Ranked by Fortune magazine as the eighth Most Admired Electronics Company in the World, Toshiba Corporation is a world leader in high technology products with more than 300 major subsidiaries and affiliates worldwide. Fiscal year revenue in 2007 was approximately $76.6 billion.
For more information on TOSHIBA TEC point of sale systems, cash registers, scales, barcode printers, peripherals and software information systems, or for a dealer in your area, call +44 (0)870 890 7200 or visit the TERIS web site at www.toshibatec-eu.co.uk.

For media enquiries please contact:

TOSHIBA TEC Europe Retail Information Systems - UK Operations
Contact: Becky Viccars
Campus 300, Spring Way
Maylands Avenue
Hemel Hempstead, Herts HP2 7GG
United Kingdom
Tel: 0870 890 7200
Fax: 0870 890 7350
E- mail: marketing@toshibatec-eu.co.uk.

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(1) TNS Sofres survey – 1,041 women representative of the French population July 2006