Type
Closure
Country
Belgium
Region
Région Wallonne;
Location of affected unit(s)
Sector
Wholesale / Retail
Retail trade
Non-specialised retail sale
47.11 - Non-specialised retail sale of predominately food, beverages or tobacco

1,779 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
Announcement Date
8 April 2025
Employment effect (start)
1 May 2025
Foreseen end date

Description

Cora a chain of hypermarkets and part of the Louis Delhaize Group has announced it will close all of its Belgian stores (located across Wallonia and Brussels). In total approximately 1779 employees are at risk of losing their job. The company management states that growing competition of online and discount chains has led the company accumulate losses that it is unable to pay off. However, it also believes that the Belgian system of joint committees (of which there are several in the retail sector with their own rules and regulations) has led to unfair competition within the sector, putting hypermarkets like Cora at a disadvantage. As prescribed in the Renault-Law the information and consultation phase between the employer and the trade unions have started. The unions urge the company to establish plans that facilitate employees to transfer to other companies, as a large part of them is aged 45+.


Sources

Citation

Eurofound (2025), Cora, Closure in Belgium, factsheet number 202627, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://dev.eurofound.europa.eu/restructuring-events/detail/202627.