UPDATE 1-Casino to replace Geant hypermarkets head

* Will group hypermarket and supermarket management teams

* Supermarkets head Andre Lucas also to lead hypermarkets

* Casino supermarkets and Geant hypermarkets will not merge

(Releads, adds detail from Casino statement)

PARIS, Nov 17 (Reuters) - French grocer Casino (CASP.PA) will replace Jean Duboc as head of Geant hypermarkets and put in place a single management team to lead both the ailing division and its better performing supermarkets unit.

The head of Casino's supermarkets unit, Andre Lucas, will also lead hypermarkets, it said on Tuesday without specifying when the changes would take place.

"This new organisation aims to improve the coordination between the brands," Casino said, referring to better customer service, purchases and logistics.

Casino will not merge the two divisions.

Casino's non-food purchasing and food purchasing departments will also be combined under Merchandise and Supply Chain director Herve Daudin to increase "operational efficiency".

Duboc, appointed in 2007 for three years, will remain an advisor to Casino Chairman and Chief Executive Jean-Charles Naouri.

Le Figaro newspaper reported Lucas would take on his new job in January, adding sales at the 130 Geant Casino hypermarkets have fallen 8 percent since the beginning of this year compared with 2.4 percent in 2008 and Geant has been handing market share to rivals. (Reporting by Caroline Jacobs; Editing by Dan Lalor)