Colruyt Loses Market Share but Refuses Sunday Openings

Belgian supermarket giant Colruyt Group is losing ground to competitors who open on Sundays, but CEO Stefan Goethaert has made one thing clear: the company’s flagship Colruyt stores will not follow suit unless Belgium reforms its outdated labor cost system. The group’s combined market share across its Colruyt, Okay, Spar, and Comarkt banners fell from 28.8% to 28.5% over the past six months, according to Het Laatste Nieuws.

Despite the decline, group revenue rose 3.1% to €10.6 billion in fiscal year 2025/2026. However, net profit fell 4.3% to €337 million, as VRT NWS reported.

The Sunday Opening Dilemma

Colruyt’s refusal to open on Sundays is not a matter of principle alone — it is a matter of cost. The company operates all its stores directly rather than franchising them, placing it under Belgium’s Joint Committee 119 (PC 119), which governs company-owned retail operations. Competitors like Delhaize and Carrefour, which have largely franchised their stores, operate under the less expensive Joint Committee 202 (PC 202).

This difference is stark. Goethaert explained in a VRT interview that Colruyt’s base labor costs are approximately 30% higher than its franchised competitors. On Sundays, the disparity balloons to 300% due to accumulated overtime and Sunday premiums under PC 119.

“We are not opening on Sundays as long as there is no level playing field on compensation,” Goethaert told HLN. “The compensation system is still based on a situation from decades ago and should be revised.”

A Changing Consumer Landscape

The pressure on Colruyt goes beyond Sunday openings. The Belgian retail market has undergone a seismic shift. The abolition of mandatory closing days, the rise of new entrants like Albert Heijn and Jumbo from the Netherlands, and increasingly aggressive promotional campaigns have fundamentally altered consumer behavior.

Goethaert observed that shoppers are now visiting stores more frequently and making more impulse purchases. “While we used to see that most people shopped once a week, we now see that customers do their groceries more frequently,” he said. “They also do it a bit more impulsively.”

Expert Analysis: Market Leadership at Risk?

Retail expert Gino Van Ossel of Vlerick Business School told Made In that the loss of market share is “certainly because more and more Delhaize stores and other stores are open on Sunday.” However, he believes Colruyt’s position as market leader remains secure for the foreseeable future.

“The chance that Colruyt will lose its market leadership in the next five years is small,” Van Ossel said. “Colruyt continues to focus on the lowest prices, and that formula appeals to many people.” He also noted that the decline in market share has more to do with the end of hyperinflation, which had temporarily driven price-conscious shoppers to Colruyt.

The Delhaize Precedent

The competitive landscape shifted dramatically in 2023-2024 when Delhaize, owned by Ahold Delhaize, converted most of its company-owned stores to franchises operated by independent entrepreneurs. This controversial move — which sparked widespread strikes — allowed those stores to switch from PC 119 to PC 202, dramatically reducing labor costs and enabling Sunday openings.

Unions have expressed support for Colruyt’s call to reform the joint committee system. In a joint statement, they noted that “2.5 years ago, the Delhaize dossier clearly showed how easy it is for a profitable company to change joint committees by franchising its stores.”

Colruyt’s Strategic Response

Colruyt has not been entirely static. In January 2026, all 152 Okay neighborhood supermarkets began opening on Sunday mornings, partially offsetting the competitive disadvantage. The company also employs 31,500 people, making it Belgium’s largest private employer, and maintains 350 open vacancies.

Goethaert pushed back against reports of significant job cuts, noting that the net reduction of 235 full-time equivalents represents less than 1% of the workforce. “You should know that there are currently 350 open vacancies,” he said. “If those vacancies are filled, we are back at the same level.”

What Lies Ahead

The central question is whether Belgium’s government will reform the joint committee system to create a more level playing field. Without such reform, Colruyt faces a choice: continue losing market share, eventually franchise some of its stores, or diversify further into non-food segments like clothing, fitness, and pharmacy where the company is already growing.

For now, Goethaert remains steadfast. “Market share has never been a goal in itself for us,” he said. “It is a consequence.” Whether that consequence becomes a trend that forces Colruyt’s hand will depend on policymakers in Brussels — and on whether Belgian consumers ultimately value Sunday shopping enough to permanently switch supermarkets.