Belgium's retail sector has experienced a challenging period in recent months, despite stability in the broader market.
The volume of sales in Belgium's retail trade, excluding fuels, decreased in May 2024 compared to May 2023. Specifically, there was a 5.5% decline in the volume of sales in retail trade, excluding fuels, from May 2023 to May 2024.
In the major trade sectors, there were several notable decreases. The textiles, clothing, footwear, and leather goods sector in specialised stores saw a decline of 8.9%. The retail sale in non-specialised food, beverages, or tobacco stores experienced an 8.3% decrease. Sales of other household equipment in specialised stores dropped by 5.4%. Other goods in specialised stores saw a 3.6% decrease, and automotive fuel in specialised stores had a 0.8% decline.
In June 2024, inflation in Belgium stood at 3.74%, with the consumer price index increasing by 0.29 points or 0.22%. Inflation for food products, including alcoholic beverages, was 0.31% in June, compared to 1.00% in May.
The most significant price increases in June were observed in natural gas, electricity, bundled telecommunication services, confectionery, restaurants and cafés, bread and cereals, organised vacations in Belgium, household appliances, clothing, and hotel rooms. Conversely, motor fuels, fruit, alcoholic beverages, and fish and seafood had a decreasing effect on the index.
The retail and wholesale trade sector employs the largest workforce in Belgium. In 2021, the wholesale and retail trade sector had 530,054 employees. This was followed by human health and social work activities with 502,032 employees, manufacturing with 474,004 employees, administrative and support service activities with 432,032 employees, and construction with 216,400 employees.
Here's an overview of the top ten supermarket retail chains in Belgium, according to their most recently-available full-year turnover. All data is supplied by Retail-Index.
***EXCLUSIVE OFFER*** Gain access to Retail-Index.com with a limited discount of 15% – use the code ESM15 in the remarks section on the Price & Order form.
1. Colruyt
Turnover: €8.23 billion (2022)
Market leader Colruyt operates several banners and brands in Belgium, including Bio-Planet, Colruyt, Cru, DreamBaby, Dreamland, Fiets!, OKay, OKay Compact, and SPAR. Founded in 1950, Colruyt reported a turnover of €8.23 billion in 2022, and currently operates 544 stores.
In March, Colruyt Group announced it is commencing the integration and transformation of a majority of acquired Match and Smatch stores to the Comarkt (Comarché) banner. This will comprise 25 Match and 24 Smatch stores, the company noted.
2. Delhaize
Turnover: €8.8 billion (2023, estimated)
Part of the Ahold Delhaize group, Delhaize operates the AD Delhaize, Albert Heijn, Delhaize Supermarkt, Proxy Delhaize, and Shop&Go banners. Delhaize had an estimated turnover of €8.8 billion in 2023, and has a network of 797 stores as of this year.
Delhaize's recent decision to transfer to an entrepreneur-led model for its stores received pushback from unions and employees alike, however the retailer is pushing ahead with its plans. In March, the retailer adopted the 'Belhaize' name temporarily as it sought to highlight the importance of local products.
3. Carrefour
Turnover: €3.8 billion (2022)
Carrefour's Belgian operation operates several banners, including Carrefour Express, Carrefour Hypermarket, and Carrefour Supermarket. The Belgian arm of Carrefour had a turnover of €3.8 billion in 2022, and operates an estimated 710 stores as of this year.
Carrefour Belgium recently unveiled a new autonomous micro-store concept, Carrefour Buy Bye, developed in association with Reckon.AI, with which it will seek to tap into opportunities beyond traditional retail.
4. Aldi
Turnover: €2.9 billion (2022, estimated)
Discounter Aldi boasts a growing network of stores in Belgium, with 442 outlets in its network as of 2024. The Belgian arm of Aldi Nord reported an estimated turnover of €2.9 billion in 2022.
The retailer claims that every Belgian has an ALDI store within a fifteen-minute drive.
5. Lidl
Turnover: €2.65 billion (2022)
Lidl has had a presence in Belgium since 1995, in which time it has built up a network of over 320 outlets (as of 2024). The turnover of its Belgian operation stood at €2.65 billion in 2022.
In May, Lidl Belgium announced plans to permanently lower the prices of own-brand plant-based protein products to the level of animal equivalents.
6. SPAR (Colruyt)
Turnover: €803 million (2022)
Two different groups hold the licence for the SPAR brand in Belgium. The first of these, Colruyt Group, operates outlets under the SPAR and EUROSPAR formats.
It reported a turnover of €803 million in 2022 and operates 371 stores as of 2024.
7. Intermarché
Turnover: €525 million (2022)
Part of France's Les Mousquetaires group, Intermarché operates under the banners Intermarché Contact and Intermarché Super. Intermarché Belgium had a turnover of €525 million in 2022, and operates 171 stores as of 2024.
In 2022, Intermarché group bought the Mestdagh group, which enabled it to greatly increase its store count in Belgium.
8. Louis Delhaize
Turnover: €241 million (2022)
With more than 340 stores throughout Belgium, Louis Delhaize reported a turnover of €241 million in 2022.
As well as villages and smaller municipalities, its stores are also dotted throughout the country, at airports, train stations, hospitals and highways.
9. SPAR Lambrechts
Turnover: €204 million (2022)
The second SPAR franchisee operating in Belgium, SPAR Lambrechts operates under the brands SPAR and SPAR Express. SPAR Lambrechts had a turnover of €204 million in 2022, and operates over 100 stores as of 2024.
Lambrechts has been a licensee of the SPAR brand since 1985.
10. Sligro
Turnover: €176 million (2022)
Sligro, the Dutch-listed family-owned business, had a turnover of €176 million in 2022 with 14 stores as of 2024.
In April, Sligro reported a 3.2% quarterly decline in its Belgian business, impacted by problems at its delivery site in Antwerp last year.
Sligro announced the acquisition of the Belgian wholesaler ISPC in January 2017, a move that enabled Sligro to strengthen its position in Belgium in recent years.
About Retail-Index
Retail-Index is a specialist supplier of management information on consumer retail markets, provided by Veraart Research Group in the Netherlands. Its mission is to supply managers with up-to-date key information on retail markets in Europe and support them in their international expansion.
The company dates back to 1964, when it started as a market research and marketing consulting company for consumer products and services. In 1989, it started publishing written reports on various retail sectors in Europe. As of 2005, it publishes its information on retailers through the online database and curated datasheet exports available on www.retail-index.com. A team of researchers manages the data to reflect upon current developments in the markets, collected from an extensive number of sources.
Read More: Top 10 Supermarket Retail Chains In Austria
Read More: Top 10 Supermarket Retail Chains In Bulgaria
Read More: Top 10 Supermarket Retail Chains In Czechia
