The Habitat brand, specializing in home furnishings and equipment, has been placed in receivership by the Bobigny court (AFP/Archives/KENZO TRIBOUILLARD)
The Habitat brand, specializing in home furnishings and equipment, was placed in receivership on Wednesday by the Bobigny court, management told AFP.
Habitat, founded in 1964, is a chain of 25 stores specializing in the sale of furniture and decorative accessories. It indicates that it currently employs 450 employees and has generated a “consolidated” turnover of 80 million euros in 2022.
The brand announced last Thursday that it was requesting placement in receivership due to “deep financial difficulties”.
On Wednesday, following a hearing at the Bobigny commercial court, management indicated that the group had officially been placed in receivership.
“An observation period is open until the end of January.” “The agents and judicial administrators will be appointed on Thursday,” the same source said.
Habitat claims to have “been faced with profound financial difficulties, largely attributable to previous failing management and exacerbated by more recent factors: a significant drop in store traffic, an inflationary shock and the surge in energy prices, raw materials and transport, with a direct impact on the purchasing power of households, internal social movements having disrupted activity.
The brand specified last week that despite the procedure, activity would continue in the stores and at the head office, and that “the primary objective is to ensure the payment of all suppliers and the delivery of orders to customers in a serene setting adapted to the situation.
It also announced that it was preparing a recovery plan through continuation in order to achieve sustainable profitability and honor its commitments.
According to the social and economic committee (CSE), Habitat will not pay November salaries to employees and Thierry Le Guénic, owner of the brand, will “appeal to the AGS”, salary guarantee schemes, which should “logically take the relay”, was indicated in a note sent to employees and consulted by AFP.
© 2023 AFP
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