Carrefour exits Romania. The deal is worth 823 million euros

After Italy, Carrefour also leaves Romania, where, adding all formats together, it operates as many as 478 stores and where it entered in 2001.

Carrefour, as expected

The deal is part of the strategic review launched by the French group at the beginning of 2025 and which, more recently, has led, for example, to expansion on the African continent, with its entry into Ghana and Ethiopia

Yesterday, 12 February, the French giant announced the sale, or rather exclusive negotiations, for the transfer of its activities to the conglomerate Paval Holding (finance and investments, real estate, retail distribution), based on an enterprise value of 823 million euros, against net revenue, as at 31 December 2025, of 2.770 million euros....but also debt of 308 million euros.

The transfer to the Paval family

The buyer is the investment vehicle of the Paval, which owns, among its many businesses, also Dedeman, the national DIY leader, with a network of 65 outlets and turnover of approximately 12 billion lei (2,3 billion euros).

Carrefour Romania operates locally 55 hypermarkets, 191 supermarkets, 202 convenience stores and 30 discount stores and generated gross sales (including VAT) of 3,2 billion euros, representing 3,5% of total consolidated sales.

The completion of the deal, which remains subject to the usual regulatory approvals, is expected to take place in the second half of 2026.

Dedeman is Romania's DIY leader, with 65 large centres (Photo by Otilia Burcut – Own work, Wikipedia.org)

Bompard: new strategic plan next week

According to Alexandre Bompard, Carrefour's CEO, this disposal “confirms the good progress made in the portfolio review launched in 2025.

“Following the major transactions completed over the last twelve months, in particular the acquisition of minority stakes in Carrefour Brazil (a deal that led to the acquisition of 100% of the capital of Atacadão, ed.) and the sale of Carrefour Italy, the group is pursuing its transformation and focusing on three key areas”, presumably including France itself and South America.

«Next Wednesday (18 February) we will present – Bompard previewed – the key pillars of our new strategic plan».

Carrefour's Romanian venture lasted 25 years, from 2001 to the present day, and led, in 2016, to the acquisition from Rewe of 86 stores operating under the Billa banner, later converted into the same number of Carrefour Market stores.

As recently as 2023 the French multinational acquired a substantial number of businesses in Romania, including the Cora hypermarkets and the Match supermarkets.

Read also:

Carrefour goes shopping in Romania

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.