C&A stated that its restructuring initiative—not the first it has run in France—is meant to “guarantee the future of the brand within a French apparel market that is continuously deteriorating, and on which C&A France has been struggling despite prior interventions.” This initiative includes C&A French Store Closures as part of its strategy.
The firm now runs 100 outlets across France, where it employs 1,500 people to whom the restructuring strategy was revealed on March 14.
“C&A is implementing job protection strategies in the same manner it does end-of-season sales,” stated the CGT union in a statement, stressing this would be the “eighth such plan,” adding that 800 jobs had already been lost in recent years.
The Dutch store added that all 57 C&A corners in other French shops are expected to suffer the same fate “since [C&A] has been unable to renew its commercial partnerships with Intermarché, Carrefour and Auchan” The 24 stores whose closure is planned are undergoing “structural problems.”
The same source stated that C&A will also reduce its logistics centre in the Paris area considering product volumes in France are projected to decline.
“In total, the proposed plan… would result in a maximum of 324 redundancies,” claimed C&A.
C&A said that “a very comprehensive employee support scheme will be negotiated” with union leaders in the “coming weeks,” including redeployment possibilities and associated measures.
“By better satisfying consumer demands and regaining profitability, the plan ‘is part of C&A’s Europe-wide strategy meant to guarantee the company will keep operating,’ stressed the 184-year-old store’s management.”
Clemens and August Brenninkmeijer founded a linen and cotton company called C&A Brenninkmeijer in Sneek, the Netherlands in 1841. Starting in 1890, the firm started to focus on ready-to-wear; by 2006, it had launched its thousandth store.
Currently operating 1,300 locations in 17 European nations, C&A sells inexpensive women’s, men’s and children’s clothing and employs 25,000 people.
