Various Delhaize shops were vandalised during the night from Wednesday to Thursday, a spokesperson for the supermarket chain confirmed, stating that Delhaize will file a complaint.
In an e-mail, the protestors stated that they attacked 11 shops this time, including in Brussels, Ninove and Ghent. The group explained that they want to call for a boycott against Delhaize, where a labour dispute has been raging for months over a plan to franchise its remaining 128 self-managed shops to independent operators.
Delhaize is taking stock of the damage. "We regret this enormously. These are criminal actions that bring us no closer to a solution," spokesperson Roel Dekelver said. "Investigations into previous incidents are ongoing. We will file another complaint."
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The shops will open as usual according to the spokesperson.
It is not the first time protestors have targeted Delhaize supermarkets. On Monday, two franchised shops in Brussels had already been daubed with paint and in recent weeks and months, façades have been daubed, locks blocked, windows broken and van tyres punctured.