Auchan supermarkets in France to switch to Intermarché or Netto in 2026

Shoppers at Auchan supermarkets will gradually see stores switch to Intermarché or Netto branding by the end of 2026, subject to regulatory approval.

The change follows a surprise announcement by Auchan that all of its 261 company-owned supermarkets and 33 franchised stores will move over to the Intermarché or Netto banners which are part of the Les Mousquetaires retail group.

For customers, the transition is expected to be gradual, with signage, own-brand products and in-store presentation changing over time rather than overnight.

The move is part of a wider restructuring at Auchan, which reported a €1.2bn loss in 2024. By operating its supermarkets under the Intermarché and Netto brands through franchise agreements, it hopes to become more competitive while keeping ownership of its buildings and retaining staff.

Auchan said the deal means there will be no further job losses in its supermarket division, following 2,500 redundancies announced last year. Staff will remain its employees.

The company has also shored up its finances with a new bank loan and a cash injection from its owners, the Mulliez family.

Intermarché is one of France’s best-known supermarket brands, covering both supermarkets and hypermarkets. Netto is a low-cost, discount brand.

Auchan’s 117 hypermarkets are not part of this switch, but many are being downsized. Sales areas are being reduced and layouts redesigned to make stores feel more welcoming and easier to navigate.

The deal comes after a turbulent year in the retailing world. Supermarket group Casino narrowly avoided collapse and was taken over by a Czech billionaire. As part of that deal, Casino sold nearly 200 stores to Intermarché, 98 to Auchan and 26 to Carrefour.

Market research firm Worldpanel says Leclerc is France’s market leader with about a quarter of grocery sales, followed by Carrefour. 

Les Mousquetaires (Intermarché and Netto) represents just under a fifth but the new deal will see its share grow by a couple of percentage points

• Intermarché’s ‘Christmas tale’ advert, about a wolf trying to make friends with other forest creatures, is estimated to have been viewed a billion times – leading to the group warning of sites misusing its branding to offer cuddly toys fraudulently. It is working on bringing its own versions out.