C&A is undergoing significant structural changes as the company announces plans to close 24 stores in France and cut over 300 jobs in a bid to enhance its competitiveness in a declining retail market. This restructuring response is part of a broader effort to navigate the ongoing challenges in the French clothing sector, which C&A has struggled against despite prior adjustments.
On March 21, 2025, the management revealed this plan to the public, although it was first presented to employees on March 14 during a central social and economic committee meeting. The closures are significantly impacting two stores in Normandy located in Barentin, near Rouen, and Mondeville, near Caen, which are among 24 outlets on the chopping block.
The rationale cited for these measures includes ongoing structural difficulties across the 24 affected locations. In addition to the store closures, C&A will also shutter 57 of its retail "corners" located within other major retailers such as Intermarché and Carrefour, due to unrenewable partnerships. According to the company, pivotal changes in the distribution center located in Villenoy are also planned as they aim to scale back the volume of products being processed.
Elodie Ferrier, the federal secretary of the CGT Federation of Commerce and Services, confirmed these drastic decisions, highlighting how employees have been notified and expressing concern for those who have been with the company for many years but now face uncertainty about their jobs. The fate of the 324 affected positions looms large, with 197 expected layoffs right from the store closures.
The CGT criticized C&A's ongoing hiring practices despite the successive job cuts, denouncing it as a "dismantling" of a once-stalwart brand. C&A has undergone seven prior reset plans since 2017, resulting in over 800 job losses across nearly 100 closed stores. Ferrier lamented, "It's very tough for the employees who have been around for years. They’ve lost all hope of preserving their workplaces. We regret that management has never learned from the previous plans. Even with the hostile environment in the market, strategic missteps contribute to the firm's current plight. Renovating stores and refreshing collections should have been higher priorities. My fear is that the goal is ultimately to minimize locations for easier acquisition if bankruptcy becomes a reality, alongside a monetary benefit for the leadership!"
As the French clothing market continues to struggle, these closures reflect an industry-wide trend affecting many retailers. C&A, which has been in France for about 50 years, is now bracing for yet another structural overhaul intended to address flaws in their operational strategy and respond to shifting consumer habits. The upcoming closures are slated to begin by late 2025 at the earliest and will continue through February 2026.
While C&A promises to facilitate internal restructuring opportunities and offer measures for external support like retraining, job-finding assistance, and other resources for displaced employees, the outlook remains grim amidst broader market instability. The imminent layoffs underscore deep-rooted challenges as C&A attempts to find a pathway back to sustainable profitability.
History informs us that C&A was established in 1841, originating from two Dutch brothers, Clemens and August Brenninkmeijer. Throughout the years, C&A became noted for affordable, stylish clothing for men, women, and children across its 1,300 establishments in 17 European nations, employing a staggering 25,000 individuals.
