Metro sells Real stores in Turkey to focus on Germany

BERLIN, Germany - German retailer Metro is selling its 12 Real hypermarkets in Turkey to Ankara-based supermarket chain Haci Duran Begendik as it focuses on turning around the struggling business in Germany.

"With this move, Real will fully focus on the successful development of its business in Germany," Metro said in a statement on Monday, adding it was not disclosing the purchase price of a deal it expects to close in the summer.

Real Turkey had sales of 256 million euros ($349.20 million)in the 2012/13 fiscal year and employs around 1,800 people.

In 2012, Metro sold its Real hypermarkets in eastern Europe to French rival Auchan in a 1.1 billion euro deal to cut debt and focus on expanding its cash and carry and consumer electronics stores.

$1 = 0.7331 Euros