Type
Closure
Country
France
Region
Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur; Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur; Bouches-du-Rhône
Location of affected unit(s)
Marseille
Sector
Wholesale / Retail
47 - Retail trade
47.1 - Non-specialised retail sale
47.1 - Retail Sale In Non-Specialised Stores

145 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
Announcement Date
22 January 2025
Employment effect (start)
15 November 2025
Foreseen end date
15 November 2025

Description

Galeries Lafayette, a French department store group operating in the retail sector, announced the closure of its two stores in Marseille, resulting in 145 job cuts in France. The job losses affect employees at the Centre Bourse and Prado stores in Marseille. The closures are scheduled to take place in November.

The closures are attributed to persistent underperformance of the stores, driven by declining turnover, reduced purchasing power among local customers and the decreasing attractiveness of Marseille’s city centre for the group’s target clientele. Employees and union representatives also point to broader structural challenges facing physical retail, including pricing constraints and competition from online commerce.

Management has stated that redeployment options will be offered to affected employees. The FO trade union is represented locally, with its delegate highlighting both the emotional impact on long-serving employees and the lack of confidence in the proposed redeployment measures.

** Updated, 30/10/2025 ** Galeries Lafayette confirmed the closure of its two stores in Marseille, resulting in 145 job cuts in France. The job losses affect employees at the Centre Bourse and Prado Shopping stores in Marseille. The closures will now take place earlier than initially planned, on 15 November instead of 29 November, following the rapid liquidation of stocks.


Sources

Citation

Eurofound (2025), Galeries Lafayette, Closure in France, factsheet number 202251, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://apps.eurofound.europa.eu/restructuring-events/detail/202251.