Press release_Carrefour and Coopérative U unveil Concordis

Carrefour and Coopérative U unveil Concordis,  a new European buying alliance

Massy and Rungis, July 7, 2025 – Carrefour and Coopérative U have decided to join forces to establish a European buying alliance called Concordis. This new alliance aims to increase the purchasing competitiveness of its partners by pooling volumes, ultimately benefiting consumers.

The new alliance will operate under a dual scope: negotiating purchase prices and offering international services. It will engage with multinational suppliers of branded consumer goods in the European countries where Carrefour and Coopérative U operate. Concordis will be effective starting with the 2026 negotiations and will initially run for a six-year term.

This alliance also aims to expand by including other European retailers, with whom Carrefour and Coopérative U are already in discussions.

Headquartered in Brussels, it will rely on:

●        Carrefour’s European footprint and the international expertise of its subsidiaries CWT and Eureca, which will now support the alliance;

●        The experience of Coopérative U, built through its previous international partnerships, as well as the expertise of its future partners. 

In line with Carrefour’s purpose and the cooperative values of Coopérative U, this alliance will promote fair and transparent relationships with suppliers, based on the mutual development of business plans and with strong consideration for the overall balance of agri-food supply chains.

This partnership, developed in strict compliance with competition law, will be notified to the French Competition Authority (Autorité de la Concurrence) by the end of this month and will be submitted for approval to the relevant governing bodies of both groups.

Furthermore, Carrefour and Coopérative U also announce their intention to cooperate, at a later stage, in additional areas. Regarding private label products, they will explore the opportunity to launch joint auctions on standard consumer goods, while maintaining full autonomy on their differentiated products.  For non-food items, Carrefour may share its expertise with Coopérative U, particularly in the Textile sector. Lastly, regarding Digital, Coopérative U will, in due course, enter into an agreement with Unlimitail—the joint venture between Publicis and Carrefour—to develop its Retail Media strategy.

Alexandre BOMPARD, Chairman and CEO of  Carrefour, said: 

“With the creation of Concordis, we are taking a decisive step towards building a next-generation buying alliance. In an environment marked by increasing industrial consolidation and the growing power of purchasing platforms, it is our responsibility to offer an ambitious response. This alliance, built on increased purchasing volumes, direct negotiation, and the offer of international services, strengthens our purchasing competitiveness to the benefit of our customers. Through this partnership, we are becoming the number one purchasing force in France—and equipping ourselves to become the leader at the European level. Together with Coopérative U, we share a clear ambition: to build an open alliance, designed from the outset to welcome other European retailers. This project is the result of a shared vision with Dominique Schelcher—one of responsible retail, rooted in commitment and respect for our industrial and agricultural partners.”

Dominique SCHELCHER, CEO of Coopérative U, added: 

“For Coopérative U, this plan to build a new European buying alliance addresses the competitiveness challenges of the French retail market. It is built on a strong and ambitious partnership with Carrefour and is intended, in the long term, to welcome other European retail partners to further pool purchasing volumes. With Concordis, we will enhance our competitiveness in support of our customers’ purchasing power. This project is fully aligned with our CAP 15 strategy and will be a key tool in reaching our 15% market share target by 2030. We will fully play our part in this new alliance, as a founding member, while staying true to our values and ensuring the sustainability of our cooperative group”

About Carrefour

With a multi-format network of over 15,000 stores in more than 40 countries, the Carrefour Group is one of the world’s leading food retailers. In 2024, Carrefour generated sales of €94.6 billion. Its network of integrated stores employs over 300,000 people, all contributing to making Carrefour the global leader in the food transition for everyone—by providing access to quality food, everywhere, at a reasonable price. Altogether, more than 500,000 people work under the Carrefour banner worldwide. To learn more, visitwww.carrefour.com, follow us on X (@news_carrefour) and onLinkedIn (Carrefour).

About Coopérative U

At Coopérative U, we stand for a different kind of retail—one rooted in strong values and low prices. With over 131 years of history, Coopérative U today brings together 1,800 stores (Hyper U, Super U, U Express, Utile) across France and abroad, supported by more than 75,000 employees. Through our 61 U agricultural supply chains, we maintain long-term partnerships with over 6,000 farmers, promoting a French agricultural model based on food sovereignty, fair compensation for producers, and sustainable farming practices. As independent retailers deeply embedded in local communities, we act every day to offer low prices, responsible and highquality U-branded products, local sourcing, and more sustainable consumption choices.  www.magasins-u.com 

Press contact - Carrefour

Tel : +33 (0)1 58 47 88 80                                                           

E-mail: :presse_france@carrefour.com

Press contact - Coopérative U

Thierry DESOUCHES                                                                   TBWA\Corporate

Directeur des relations extérieures cooperativeU@tbwa-corporate.com  thierry.desouches@cooperative-u.fr +33 (0)6 07 16 67 50