Carrefour Italia: unions approve New Princes’ plan. GS returns in August

The discussion between New Princes and the trade unions following the completion, on 1December 2025, of the acquisition of Carrefour Italia.

The new Carrefour does not want Realco

At the meeting, held in Milan in 6 July, management outlined the group’s new structure and the strategic direction of Princes Retail, setting out a relaunch plan focused on integrating production, brands and distribution to strengthen competitiveness, efficiency and presence in the Italian market.

With the acquisition of Carrefour Italia, which follows the transactions completed in 2025 involving Diageo Operations Italy and Plasmon and the listing of Princes Group on the London Stock Exchange, New Princes continues its industrial and distribution growth internationally.

Interest in the network of Realco has instead been withdrawn, part of which has now passed to Conad Centro Nord and Conad Nord Ovest, involving 9 points of sale and currently in a second phase of a sale without auction.

New Princes Group currently has pro forma revenue of 6,5 billion euros, 32 production plants, a presence in seven countries, exports to more than 60 markets, more than 30thousand customers and over 17.000 employees worldwide, of whom approximately 11.000 are in Italy. Of 2025, the latest consolidated financial year, we have already written extensively.

According to the unions, the workforce consists of 52% women and 48% men, distributed across production, distribution, head-office functions and brand management.

The Princes Retail network represents one of the strategic pillars of the industrial project, with 982 points of sale distributed across 13 regions, of which 248 under direct management and 734 franchised, an e-commerce platform supported by 140 shops enabled to accept online orders, 17 fuel stations, 7 logistics depots.

Among the announced objectives, as is well known, is the return of the historic GS brand, which the company considers a brand deeply rooted in Italian distribution and destined to become the symbol of the commercial network’s relaunch, through a sales model based on quality, value for money, the Italian character of the offering and the enhancement of fresh produce.

Historical photo of the GS hyperstore in Terni (by: barney0294, via Wikimedia Commons)

International logistics in Cameri and Pieve Emanuele

On the logistics front, the internalisation process for the distribution centres in Cameri (Novara) and Pieve Emanuele, on the outskirts of Milan, has been confirmed, with the transfer of 325 workers from outsourced to direct management.

Ownership, Fisacat Cisl reported in a statement, Fisacat Cisl, also discussed the planned infrastructure investments (at the time of the acquisition, these amounted to 437,5 million), the extraordinary maintenance plan for the points of sale and the measures intended to improve the network’s operating conditions.

The meeting then covered the corporate merger, approved on 13 May by the shareholder meetings of Princes Property, GS and Princes Retail.

From Princes Property to GS Spa

From next 1August, GS and Princes Retail will be incorporated into Princes Property, which will adopt the new name GS Spa.

The transaction forms part of the Group’s reorganisation process, aimed at strengthening synergies, improving organisational efficiency and increasing economic and operational competitiveness.

It was confirmed that all employment relationships will continue without interruption, pursuant to Article 2112 of the Italian Civil Code.

The trade unions noted with interest several elements of change compared with the past, particularly regarding investment, the strengthening of logistics, the support and oversight of the franchise network and the stated intention to relaunch the business. “We welcomed the company’s intention to resume funding the commercial network by developing a new retail model. Now,” declared Giovanni Battista Comiati, national secretary of Fisascat Cisl “it will be essential for the stated objectives to be followed by concrete and verifiable commitments regarding investment, work organisation and employment protections.”

The discussion will continue on 23 July and 17 September.

Read also:

Carrefour Italia restarts in the first quarter

NEW PRINCES GROUP: KEY FIGURES FOR THE FIRST QUARTER 2026

This article was translated from the original Italian version with the assistance of artificial intelligence. In case of discrepancies, please refer to the original Italian version.