Council of State upholds legality of Auchan's 2025 workforce reduction plan

France's Council of State has declared Auchan's 2025 social plan legal, affirming its compliance after prior validation by labor administration. The plan, which entails 2,389 job eliminations, had previously been invalidated by the Lille administrative tribunal and the Douai administrative court of appeal. Unions CGT and FO, together with staff elected representatives, had brought the case before the courts, arguing the plan should be void.

By siding with the administration's approval, the Council of State reverses those earlier decisions. The judgment is likely to calm Auchan's leadership but will be a setback for the unions that hoped to challenge the broader Mulliez family group practices.