The Autorité de la concurrence has cleared Carrefour's acquisition of 25 food retail stores previously operated under the Casino group, but with the condition that Carrefour divests two stores to ensure sufficient competition in the affected areas.

Carrefour notified the Autorité of its acquisition plans on March 7, 2024. Due to the challenging economic conditions of the stores, the Autorité granted Carrefour a derogation from the suspensive effect of merger control, allowing the transaction to proceed while still subject to a final decision.

Upon reviewing the transaction, the Autorité found no significant competition concerns in most areas but identified potential risks in Argenteuil and the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, where Carrefour's market power could increase without adequate competition alternatives.

To mitigate these concerns, Carrefour committed to divesting two stores in the identified areas to ensure that consumers have access to diverse options and competitive pricing. The Autorité will oversee the divestiture process to ensure that the new owners can effectively operate the stores and maintain competition.

The divestitures are designed to prevent store closures and instead facilitate a change of ownership and branding, thereby preserving consumer choice and preventing price increases.