Serge Papin, director of Auchan Retail International, confirmed Thursday on BFM Business that his group and Intermarché had made an offer for all of the supermarkets and hypermarkets still owned by the Casino group, which is going through serious financial difficulties.
This offer, the amount of which has not been revealed, provides for the safeguarding of all of the jobs concerned, explained Serge Papin.
Casino confirmed on Monday that it had received preliminary expressions of interest with a view to acquiring stores in the hypermarket and supermarket perimeter, without however specifying the buyers or the number of stores that the company plans to sell.
Heavily indebted, Casino signed a “lock-up” agreement in October with its main creditors, including Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky, which provides for an equity contribution as well as a reduction in the group’s net debt.
(Written by Nicolas Delame)