Belgian Competition Authority clears Delhaize–Delfood deal with conditions

The decision, adopted on 26 January 2026, allows Delhaize to take over all of Delfood’s activities, including its wholesale operations and the Louis Delhaize network of 322 stores.

Delhaize currently operates around 745 food retail stores in Belgium, mainly under the AD Delhaize, Proxy Delhaize and Shop&Go Delhaize brands.

The BCA closely examined the transaction due to the companies’ strong presence in the wholesale market and in local retail markets for everyday consumer goods, particularly proximity stores and petrol station shops outside motorways. As Delhaize and Delfood are direct competitors in these segments, the authority identified risks of reduced competition in certain local markets, potentially leading to higher prices or lower quality of supply.

The investigation also raised concerns about the position of independent stores supplied or commercially supervised by Delhaize or Delfood, which could be negatively affected by the loss of competitive pressure between the two groups.

To address these concerns, Delhaize offered a series of commitments. These include the divestment of a number of proximity stores and petrol station shops to another franchisor in specific local markets. In addition, certain stores supplied or supervised by Delhaize or Delfood will receive greater contractual freedom, enabling them to compete more effectively with Delhaize-owned outlets. Stores supplied outside the franchise networks will also benefit from fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory supply conditions.

Finally, any future integration of stores under supply contracts into Delhaize’s franchise networks will require prior approval from the BCA, allowing the authority to prevent excessive concentration in local markets.

Following a detailed assessment, the BCA concluded that these commitments adequately address the competition concerns and approved the transaction.