Eurotoday — CORA, the Belgian grocery chain owned by the Louis Delhaize group, has announced plans to close seven of its stores in Belgium by early 2026, a move that will impact approximately 1,800 employees. The closures mark a significant shift in the retail landscape and come after years of financial difficulties for the company. The affected stores are located in La Louvière, Hornu, Chatelineau, Rocourt, Woluwe, Anderlecht, and Messancy.
Employees working in nearby shopping malls and the Heppignies supply depot are also expected to be impacted. This decision is part of a broader restructuring effort by CORA to address ongoing losses, but previous changes have failed to produce results.
Efforts to sell the stores to other companies were unsuccessful, forcing CORA to proceed with closures and layoffs. The company pointed to the growing dominance of e-commerce and increased competition in the retail sector as key reasons traditional hypermarkets like CORA are struggling to survive.
“Despite all the efforts made by the teams and the actions taken to rectify the situation, the results are proving to be very insufficient in the context of a major crisis in the distribution sector in Belgium,” CORA management stated in a press release.
Though CORA stores will close, the shopping centers that house them have been sold to real estate investment company Mitiska REIM. Mitiska plans to redevelop the properties, dividing the large CORA spaces into smaller retail units to rent to other businesses.
Officials noted that many shoppers were drawn to these malls because of the presence of CORA. With the retailer’s exit, the challenge now lies in attracting new tenants and customers.
“People were stunned. There were tears. And then they got up and went back to work,” said CORA management, describing the emotional reaction among employees.
The closures have stirred anxiety among workers, many of whom have spent decades with the company. One of the stores in Liège is known to employ multiple members from the same families, making the news especially difficult in local communities.
Patrick Masson, First Secretary at SETCa, expressed concern about the potential social and economic fallout, stating, “Staff should be given a statutory notice period.” The specific conditions for the 1,800 layoffs have yet to be confirmed.
Customers also expressed dismay at the news, with some calling the job losses unacceptable and worrying about the future of their neighborhoods without these staple stores. CORA stores were often key fixtures in the communities they served, especially as other brands under the Louis Delhaize group had been sold off in recent years.
CORA’s parent company had reportedly injected significant capital over time in an attempt to keep the stores afloat, but with no buyers stepping forward, a wind-down became inevitable. Rumors and fears around possible closures had been circulating for months, with workers voicing their concerns publicly.
In March 2024, employees blocked access to the company’s warehouse in protest, highlighting the growing unrest. “We can no longer reassure workers,” said Myriam Delmée, president of SETCa, stressing that this represents the third restructuring round since 2015.
The closures signal the end of an era for Belgium’s retail sector, as one of the last remaining CORA locations prepares to shut its doors.
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