Frankrijk

From Saturday, France will again go into a strict lockdown. The measures currently in force in one part of the nation will be extended to the entire country.

Yesterday, the 'espionage' trial against Ikea started in France. The French branch of the furniture giant is accused of unlawfully collecting and disclosing personal data, and violating professional confidentiality between 2003 and 2009.

Despite the fact that many of Decathlon's stores remained closed for months, the sports retailer survived the Covid-19 year rather well.

Belgian fashion chain PointCarré, part of Colruyt Group, has just opened a second French shop in Val de Briey. The multi-brand specialist also opens up its e-shop to French shoppers.

If a European player - as opposed to, for example, Canada's Couche-Tard - were to present itself as a prospective buyer of French supermarket group Carrefour, France would probably be inclined to accept the deal. That is what Secretary of State for European Affairs Clément Beaune has stated.

The French branch of Belgian restaurant chain Exki has filed an application for judicial reorganisation and has been granted it. The chain now wants to renegotiate with the property owners of its outlets.

Picnic almost doubled its turnover in 2019, although losses also increased. In the meantime, the online supermarket is preparing to expand into France - and who knows, into Belgium also?