The supermarket chain Cora will close all seven of its stores in Belgium by early 2026, resulting in 1,779 job losses.
The announcement on Tuesday has initiated a consultation process that may lead to collective redundancies for all employees.
Cora is part of the Louis Delhaize Group and operates seven 'hypermarkets' in Brussels and Wallonia: Anderlecht, Châtelineau, Hornu, La Louvière, Messancy, Rocourt and Woluwe-Saint-Lambert.
The company cites several reasons for its decision to close, including the decline in purchasing power, the rise of online shopping, foreign competition and the decline of the hypermarket model.
'People are stunned'
Credit: Belga / Hatim Kaghat
Despite continuous efforts from the staff and management over the years, Cora has faced significant operational losses.
Numerous initiatives to boost sales have been implemented in the past decade, but economic projections indicate that short- and medium-term recovery are no longer possible.
Cora explored selling its stores to other major retailers but there were no interested buyers.
Its seven sites will remain open until the closure process is complete.
The company acknowledges the emotional impact of this announcement on its employees, stressing that external factors are to blame and not a lack of effort or competence from the workers.
"In Liège, there are 17 families who work in the store," SETCA trade union representative Patrick Masson told RTBF. "Husbands, wives, sometimes children, who have been working for years. And many workers have 20, sometimes 30 years of seniority, so it won't be easy to find work again."
"People were stunned," another delegate said. "There were tears. And then they got up and went to work."
Workers 'worn out'
SETCA has urged management to explore alternatives to outright closures, and has called on "softened" departure solutions for workers if the closures go ahead.
"We demand they find jobs for these Cora workers, who are worn out by the conditions in the retail sector but are eager to continue working," the union stated. "We will not tolerate or accept these workers ending up at welfare offices in two years."
Cora's shareholder and Galimmo, which owns the adjacent galleries and manages the centres, plan to sell the assets to real estate company Mitiska REIM.
Mitiska REIM plans to renovate and subdivide current Cora spaces into smaller units for rental, ensuring continued commercial activity and preserving direct and indirect employment in these areas.
