An offer for the cash and carry chain Makro Belgium has been rejected. The daily ‘De Standaard’ reports that the rejection of the offer to take over the Makro stores in Belgium means that more than 1,000 jobs are now at risk. Makro Belgium has been in trouble for some time and had been granted protection from its creditors by the Commercial Court in Antwerp while a solution was sought for its financial issues.
Home News
More than 1,000 jobs under threat at Makro Cash & Carry Belgium
Published:
Since protection from its creditors was granted in mid-September a procedure has been in place to try and sell the Makro and Metro stores in Belgium either together or individually.
Makro Cash & Carry Belgium has a total of 11 stores. 5 of these are Metro cash and carry stores for the hospitality industry while the remaining 5 are Makro superstores. Around 2,000 people work for Makro in Belgium. On Tuesday there was hope that a buyer had been found.
Several offers had been made to purchase the Makro and Metrto stores. However, just one offer, from the wholesale chain Sligro for the 5 Metro stores, has been accepted by the official receiver. De Standaard reports that there was just one offer for the 5 Makro stores and this has been turned down. This means that the Makro stores are now likely to be declared bankrupt. Their closure will result in the loss of more than 1,000 jobs.
The unions that represent staff at Makro Belgium say that they have not yet been officially informed of the decision. Kristel Van Damme of the Christian trade union ACV Puls told journalists that "There is currently a game of ping-ping going on between the receiver and management as to who should inform the staff. But no official communication has yet been forthcoming”.
"The information that we are now hearing about the Makro stores is not good at all. But if it is indeed the case that it is not a firm offer then we would prefer to know now rather than ending up in the shit again shortly”, Ms Van Damme added.