The Competition Authority has initiated a competitive assessment procedure pursuant to Article L. 462-10 II of the Commercial Code concerning the AURA and CONCORDIS purchasing alliances.
The assessment will analyse the competitive effects of the agreements in question on both upstream and downstream markets. On the upstream side, the Authority will examine the impact of the alliances on the supply markets for consumer goods. On the downstream side, the analysis will focus on the retail distribution markets, primarily relating to food products. In parallel, the Authority will assess the effects of these purchasing alliances on end consumers, with particular attention to any potential price reductions in downstream markets.
As part of the procedure, the Competition Authority has invited interested third parties to submit their observations to its investigation services. Comments relating to the AURA agreement may be submitted by email until 6 March 2026, while observations concerning the CONCORDIS agreement may be submitted until 31 July 2026.
This initiative is the first time the Competition Authority has launched a competitive assessment specifically targeting purchasing alliances. The Authority announced the opening of the procedure in a press release dated 9 January 2026, underscoring its intention to closely scrutinise the competitive implications of such arrangements across the supply chain.
Background on the Purchasing Alliances
The AURA purchasing alliance, established in September 2024 by Groupement Mousquetaires, aims to strengthen joint purchasing power in consumer goods. It is closely linked to the group’s broader retail media and data strategy, following the merger of Infinity Advertising with Valiuz, creating a multi-brand, multi-country retail ecosystem active across six European countries.
CONCORDIS is a European purchasing alliance created in July 2025 by Carrefour and Coopérative U. Based in Brussels, it focuses on joint price negotiations and international service agreements with suppliers of branded consumer goods and will apply from the 2026 purchasing negotiations, for an initial six-year period.