Massive clearance, written in small letters, in large letters, everywhere. But not much left on the shelves. The Géant Casino hypermarket in the Europe district of Brest, which has still not found a buyer, will close its doors on September 30, 2024, at 8:30 p.m. So until then, everything must disappear. The shopping bags are no longer restocked. Here, packets of semolina have been ripped open, as if they had been the object of too much desire. The butter has been ransacked, there is still some sweet. The alcohol shelves have not been completely looted, but the chocolate and confectionery shelves have been definitively sealed off with a red and white ribbon.
From the gold rush to empty shelves…
“It’s weird,” says Léna, an employee in another major retailer. Coming from South Finistère for an appointment in Brest, she stopped by the hypermarket. In her trolley, there wasn’t much yet, just a wall mount for a television and a couple of odds and ends. Francine and her daughter came last week, when it was the gold rush. “We went into the store at 6 p.m., there were so many people, with trolleys overflowing, that we left at 9:30 p.m., just enough time to get everyone through!”, they say.
With a small piece of paper in hand, on which a list has been scribbled, Ainessa, a home help, accompanies Marie-Pierre to do her shopping. The duo is not looking for a bargain, just the weekly shopping. “We found everything… except the pitted prunes!” regrets the employee of the O2 agency, which specializes in helping people. Disappointed, Marie-Pierre will not be able to do her far this week. Above all, she wonders where she will be able to do her shopping easily. She lives in a housing estate nearby, a five-minute drive away.
“It’s a disaster”
The same question for Michel and Jacques, two regulars who have just crossed paths in the central aisle of the store. “I’ve been coming here since the 90s,” says Jacques, his white moustache drooping. The two men are neighbors, they live in the towers opposite the store, where there are “only retirees and single mothers,” according to them. “It was convenient to be able to do shopping without having to take a car,” regrets Michel. “It’s a disaster,” adds Jacques, “We’ve been coming here for so long, we know the employees! But between us, it was expensive!” A 2022 study by UFC Que choisir ranked Casino as the most expensive brand by far. A shame for the Europe district, which has one of the poorest households in the city, according to INSEE (National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies).
“We have been instructed not to speak to journalists”
Among employees, speech is rare. First attempt with three employees. Eyes flee and they scatter like a flock of starlings. “We have instructions not to speak to journalists,” counters another employee. Sometimes, it’s not just orders. An employee with more than thirty years of experience in the store storms: “What do you want us to say? How would you feel if you lost your job? We don’t know anything and I’m not sure the unions know more than we do. It’s all vague.”
