The inhabitants of this village in Aveyron, deprived of a supermarket, are looking for a local solution as winter approaches

The Spar supermarket in Sainte-Geneviève-sur-Argence closed its doors at the beginning of October, following the reprieve granted by its managers. This closure could have been effective as early as January 2024, when the difficulties of the Casino group led to the sale of 300 stores to the Intermarché group.

This mini-market is among the hundred that buyers are seeking to resell but the potential candidate for takeover, Carrefour, does not seem willing to shorten negotiations for this store, even if two managers seem interested in a takeover, either independently or under a statutory status. franchise.

Reflection meetings

This latency proves to be very detrimental for the 1,600 inhabitants of the town and beyond and more particularly for those who do not have means of transport.

The merchants' association chaired by one of the village's bakers, Mr. Bonal, and the municipality organized a public meeting to transmit to residents all the information obtained from officials of the two groups during negotiations. The hundreds of people gathered on this occasion demonstrate the urgency of a solution. If traders and elected officials share a priority concern to respond to the concerns of families, these distribution groups undoubtedly prioritize the interests of their respective shareholders.

Retailers have demonstrated this with dignity by acting jointly and in solidarity to offer a diversified supply to their customers and by organizing a home delivery service, like the Dom and Co brand from Lacalm. The Aubrac, Carladez, Viadène community of communes had activated a reflection, via a traveling exhibition, concerning an objective of commercial revitalization and remains mobilized to support any initiative likely to calm the anxiety-provoking climate aggravated by this incident.

With harsh winter weather and traffic difficulties approaching, it is to be hoped that a local supply solution will precede the pre-Christmas commercial frenzy.