The hypothesis of seeing hundreds of Auchan supermarkets operated under another brand is on the table and has an estimated date to move forward. According to the economic and business news portal, Distribution Hoje, the retailer is negotiating with Groupement Mousquetaires the transition of around 300 stores to a retail model. franchising under the Intermarché and Netto brands, in a process that covers almost the entire French territory, with the exception of Corsica. The plan is the result of a strategy started in 2024 and which can now gain a practical dimension.
The possible change does not imply the abandonment of assets. According to the same source, Auchan will continue to own the properties and businesses and will maintain ties with the teams. The operation will be conducted through its own legal entity, allowing the stores to start operating under another brand without ceasing to be part of the company’s structure.
What changes in stores and the way they will be operated
The portal writes that the spaces will continue to be managed by Auchan, but under the Intermarché banner, which will take over the supply of products, commercial policy and the store concept. This means that the French retailer preserves control of the business, while delegating daily operational execution to a partner with a strong market presence.
Guillaume Darrasse, managing director of Auchan Retail, describes the model by stating that employees, buildings and business ownership will remain with the company. The objective is to combine purchasing capacity, format complementarity and performance efficiency. The new configuration may change the way consumers identify surfaces, but it leaves the corporate backend intact.
Defined calendar and an ambition that goes beyond the badge
The proposal depends on the approval of competition regulatory bodies. The publication adds that, if a favorable opinion is obtained, implementation could take place at the end of 2026. For Groupement Mousquetaires, the integration represents a reinforcement in the proximity segment and a strategic advance to expand territorial coverage.
Thierry Cotillard, president of the group, states that this stage symbolizes progression in the network’s development. Christophe Chineau, president of Intermarché and Netto, highlights that local distribution is a central axis of the strategy and that the project could accentuate this presence with greater proximity to the consumer.
Movement inserted in a broader plan of transformation
It should be noted that Auchan is executing a remodeling plan that includes strengthening key markets, improving price competitiveness, expanding franchising and the rethinking of the hypermarket model. On French territory, this plan has already involved the recovery of Casino stores, the creation of the Aura Retail purchasing group and participation in the Epic and Everest consortiums.
Further on, the portal mentions that the agreement was deepened with the possibility of Intermarché entering the capital of the media agency Valiuz. The transition of 300 supermarkets is thus integrated into a broader movement of structural reorganization and operational optimization.
If progress is made within the expected timetable, French retail could see a chain with a new façade but with the same owner behind it. Until then, the process remains under regulatory analysis and depends on final validation to become an operational reality.
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