French retailer Carrefour announced Thursday it was in exclusive talks to sell its Romanian operation for 823 million euros, pulling out of Romania to focus on more profitable markets.
One-quarter of a century since it entered the Romanian market, the company said it was in exclusive negotiations with Paval Holding for the sale of all its activities in Romania, part of a review the company began at the beginning of 2025.
The announcement comes after foreign retailers have become the target of nationalist parties which claim they don’t pay taxes and repatriate profits. Parties have urged Romanians to boycott the stores.
Nationalist AUR party recently initiated a draft law under which supermarkets and hypermarkets will be limited from selling their own brand. Under the draft, supermarkets could only sell 20% of their own line per product.
The bill, already adopted by the Senate, limits the practices of large retail chains, which – according to AUR – affect local producers by imposing disadvantageous prices and conditions.
The sale to Paval Holding would not trigger nationalist groups as it is belongs to leading Romanian entrepreneurs, brothers Adrian and Dragos Pavel who own Dedeman, the national DIY leader, one of Romania’s greatest entrepreneurial success stories.
Over 25 years, Carrefour has expanded significantly, becoming the group’s fourth-largest European market by sales, after France, Spain and Belgium.
The retailer doubled its size in Romania through strategic acquisitions, including the Louis Delhaize operations (Cora and Cora Urban stores) in 2023 and Billa supermarkets in 2016.
Despite achieving €3.2 billion in 2025, the highly competitive Romanian market, coupled with austerity measures impacting consumer confidence, has led to a slowdown in growth.
Carrefour moved to Romania in 2001 and was the first retailer to introduce the concept of a hypermarket.
It has 478 stores (including 55 hypermarkets, 191 supermarkets, 202 convenience stores and 30 discount stores), and generated approximately 3.5% of Group sales.
The group will focus on the three main countries in terms of sales: France, Brazil and Spain.
“Following the significant transactions completed in the last 12 months – in particular the acquisition of all minority stakes in Carrefour Brazil and the sale of Carrefour Italy – the Group continues its transformation and focuses on the three main strategic markets,” the statement explains.
The completion of this operation remains subject to customary regulatory authorizations. It is expected to occur in the second half of 2026.
Alexandre Bompard, Chairman and CEO of Carrefour, said: “The sale of Carrefour Romania confirms the good progress of the portfolio review initiated in 2025. Following the major transactions completed over the past twelve months—notably the buyout of minority interests in Carrefour Brazil and the sale of Carrefour Italy—the Group is pursuing its transformation and refocusing on its three core countries. It is with this momentum that we will present the key pillars of our new strategic plan next Wednesday. I would like to thank all our colleagues at Carrefour Romania for their dedication, professionalism, and the service they provide to our customers, which have helped build a solid business. I am confident that the agreement reached with Paval Holding represents a great opportunity for their continued success.”
