France · Competition
What France required in four grocery deals in 2025
France’s competition authority cleared grocery deals involving more than 600 stores in 2025. In three deals it required commitments to preserve local competition, including store sales, a franchise termination and new space for competing retailers.
Sources checked
- 13 March 2025Carrefour buys French Cora and Match operations
25-DCC-56 · 186 · Store divestitures, one franchise termination and a shopping centre divestiture Source 2
- 21 March 2025Auchan buys former Casino stores
25-DCC-65 · 98 · Store sale in Aubagne and two subleases at La Valentine in Marseille Source 3
- 22 September 2025Lidl buys Auchan Supermarché stores
25-DCC-214 · 19 · Unconditional clearance, also covering eight attached service stations Source 4
- 8 October 2025Marcel & Fils buys Bio&Co stores
25-DCC-222 · 7 · Sale of one store in Salon-de-Provence to a competitor Source 5
Three decisions imposed local commitments. Lidl’s purchase of 19 stores received unconditional clearance.
The Carrefour remedies took several forms
The Carrefour commitments covered eight stores and a shopping centre. In the Vichy area, Carrefour had to end a franchise agreement in favour of a competitor. In the Charleville-Mézières agglomeration, the commitment involved a shopping centre previously owned by Galimmo. Source 2
Auchan had to make room for rivals
In Aubagne, Auchan could choose between selling one of its own stores and selling the acquired store to a rival. At Marseille’s La Valentine centre it agreed to sublease space to two rivals. The plan reserved at least 2,500 square metres for one operator’s hypermarket. Source 3
A seven-store deal also drew a condition
The Marcel & Fils case examined organic food retail. The authority required a sale in Salon-de-Provence, where it found a risk that shoppers would lose credible alternatives. The remedy covered the store on Chemin des Cardelines and required a buyer capable of keeping the business viable. Source 5
One deal cleared without conditions
The Lidl decision covered 19 food stores and eight attached service stations. The authority cleared it unconditionally. Its retrospective identifies three conditional cases across the year and puts the total grocery store count above 600. Source 4 Source 1