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last mo.

Alinea Ordered Into Liquidation in France, About 1,200 Jobs to Go

The ruling closes a loss‑making chapter for a retailer in a sector under price pressure from giants such as Ikea.

L’enseigne d’ameublement Alinéa a été placée en liquidation judiciaire mardi 31 mars 2026 par le tribunal des activités économiques de Marseille.
Les salariés de l’entreprise de transport Ziegler qui attendent la décision du tribunal de commerce, à Tourcoing, le 31 mars 2026.
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Des salariés de l'enseigne de mobilier Alinea et des membres du syndicat CFDT se rassemblent devant un magasin à Aubagne (Bouches-du-Rhône), le 14 février 2026.

Overview

  • Alinea, which a Marseille commercial court placed in liquidation Tuesday, will dismiss roughly 1,200 employees after failing to secure a viable buyer.
  • Judges rejected the only full takeover bid from Romanian group SDC, citing financing concerns, and the bidder sent no representative to defend the offer in court.
  • All 36 company‑run stores closed Sunday, with only seven franchised locations allowed to keep operating under different names as other retailers pursued only isolated sites.
  • A works council meeting set for Thursday will map out the layoff plan, which unions say totals about €24 million, with the Mulliez owners adding more than €10 million in extra severance.
  • The chain posted a €47 million loss on €162 million in 2024 sales after years of attempts to reboot the business, as big‑box rivals, discount chains, and online platforms eroded margins and traffic.