2024-04-24 16:28:46
The northern sporting and leisure goods group Decathlon has announced its intention to close its only logistics warehouse located in Belgium by the end of 2024, which will lead to the elimination of 132 permanent positions. The channel explains that it wants “ transform its European logistics network of distribution warehouses » to adapt to new modes of consumption of its products, in particular the development of online purchases, in a press release.
Not counting fixed-term contracts, the Belgian site currently employs 163 people on permanent contracts. Among them 31 “ teammates » will keep their jobs, but the 132 positions in the logistics activity will be eliminated. These 132 “ warehouse workers and managers » will be offered new positions within the group as a priority, specifies Decathlon, which wishes to avoid the collective dismissal procedure.
« They can be taken over by our group or by a possible external buyer of the site », underlined Louise Chekroun, a manager at Decathlon Belgium. Consultations are planned for Thursday with union representatives.
33 stores in Belgium
Several of them felt they had been taken by surprise by the announcement of this restructuring on Tuesday in the works council, and deplored a “ huge impact » on the families concerned. In addition to its Willebroek logistics center, Decathlon has 33 stores in Belgium, where the French group has been present since 1997 and today employs nearly 2,800 people.
From 2025 these Belgian stores will be supplied from warehouses located in France and Germany, underlined the chain, knowing that the “e-commerce” part of Decathlon Belgium “ has been entirely supplied by the Netherlands since the beginning of 2024 ».
Not listed on the stock exchange, this international group founded in 1975 by Lille businessman Michel Leclercq is majority owned by the latter’s descendants and the Mulliez family, which also controls Auchan.
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