The JouéClub group has informed the Autorité de la concurrence about its plan to acquire exclusive control of assets previously owned by the Ludendo group, which include 120 stores operating under the La Grande Récré or Starjouet brands in France.

Following a decision by the Paris Commercial Court in June 2023 to assign these assets to JouéClub during court-ordered liquidation proceedings, the Autorité is now seeking input from potential operators interested in taking over some or all of Ludendo's points-of-sale in France through a public consultation.

Operators in the toy retailing sector have been invited to participate in the consultation by submitting their responses to the Autorité's Mergers Registry by 7 May 2024.

The consultation aims to gather insights from market stakeholders to help the Autorité assess the effects of the transaction, develop its decision-making process, and define relevant markets in collaboration with industry players.