One year after in the grand duchy, Louis Delhaize Group is announcing a new strategic turn. Cora plans to close its seven hypermarkets in Belgium by early 2026, a decision that directly threatens 1,779 jobs.

Among the sites affected is Messancy, on the Luxembourg border, alongside outlets in Anderlecht, Châtelineau, Hornu, La Louvière, Rocourt and Woluwe-Saint-Lambert.

Cora’s management cites a spate of difficulties: eroding purchasing power, the rise of online shopping, competitive pressure from foreign chains and the decline of the hypermarket model. “The financial outlook for 2025 and 2026 did not allow us to go any further, as the net loss would then have been close to €90m over these two years,” says Olivier Haller, the chain’s CEO. “We wanted to avoid a disaster scenario like bankruptcy at all costs.” In 2024, the chain had already posted a loss of €24m.

While the group has sounded out potential buyers, no major retailer has shown any interest, with the possible exception of the La Louvière site, for which a local interest has been mooted.

Political mobilisation

Parallel to this, the adjoining shopping arcades, owned by Cora’s shareholder Galimmo, will be sold to the property company Mitiska Reim. “This project aims to renovate the spaces currently occupied by Cora and to subdivide them into smaller units for letting,” says the company. “It will enable the shopping centres to continue their activities and preserve direct and indirect employment in the catchment areas.”

The announcement sent shockwaves through Wallonia. “A major shock, with enormous social repercussions,” in the words of Walloon employment minister Pierre-Yves Jeholet on X.

Jeholet will meet Cora’s CEO in Namur “to assess the situation and prospects for the staff and each of the seven business sites,” according to Belgian news agency Belga.

“We want to face up to our responsibilities and encourage the re-employment of our employees,” Haller said ahead of the meeting.

This article in French.