“I’ve never been so disgusted in my entire life.”

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This Tuesday, November 5, 2024, the Auchan group announced the elimination of nearly 2,400 positions viain particular, the closure of a ten supermarkets.

In the details of this social plan, some bad news concerns the Auchan Metz-Woippy hypermarket. Its closure is announced for an indefinite date.

On site, the staff and customers, stunned, take the blow.

82 positions will be eliminated at the Auchan Metz-Woippy hypermarket

Pushing her cleaning cart, Isabelle, a cleaning technician in the store, oscillates between anger and bitterness : “It’s a shock, I’ve been working there for four years.” Aged 56, she fears the closure: “When we hear that at my age we are going to have to find a job, it's complicated ! ».

82 employeeswork in this hypermarket, confirms Michel Vergerio, store director. In a press release, the brand explains that it hopes to limit the number of redundancies by providing support to the employees concerned.

Faced with this situation, Isabelle took the lead: “I called my boss to ask my mutationin Semécourt. Let’s see if I like it there.”

“I was sad, really sad”

Near the fruit and vegetable stalls, a young trainee employee recounts his reaction to the closure of the establishment: “I was sad, really sad. To the point of tears. I've never been so disgusted in my entire life “. A feeling that he justifies by the atmosphere of the store: “Here, it was like a family, everyone is sad”.

The twenty-year-old nevertheless projected himself within this team: “ They wanted to hire me hereafter my training,” he laments.

“We were a family”

Behind her butcher stand, Patricia remembers her past career in this hypermarket, whose sign has already been changed many times: “ I've been here since the opening in 1982. First, it was a Rond Point Coop, then a Docks de France, then a Mammouth and finally an Auchan.”

Approaching the end of her career, Patricia sympathizes: “I'm going to retire soon. But those who stay, it will be difficult for them “. She insists: “We were a family”.

The disappointment of loyal customers

For their part, loyal customers already miss the store. André, 79 years old, comes to order from Patricia. “ I fell backwards this morning . I've been coming here since the opening, for over forty years he gets excited. There was strong social contact. The employees are all dedicated and hardworking.”

André explains that after closing, he plans to go to the Auchan supermarket in the Patrotte district, one twenty minutesin transport, “but it’s less diverseand it is more expensive“, he complains.

“Life is very, very expensive. We don't know where to go anymore.”

Other customers interviewed lament the closure of an “imperfect” but “imperfect” store.well placed» who “helped out and provided service”.

Looking ahead after the hypermarket closes, Yamina hesitates between doing her shopping at the Auchan supermarket – which she also points tothe cost– or travel to Leclerc in Maizières-lès-Metz,distant about ten kilometers. “Life is very, very expensive. We don’t know where to go anymore,” she gets annoyed.

It remains to be seen whether the establishment will find abuyer. What shopping mall traders – heavily dependent on the hypermarket – are hoping for.

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