Soyaux: surprise arrival of Aldi in the general blur

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A request, attacked by Carrefour and Auchan, which was refused by the National Commission for Commercial Equipment in a notice of January 13. That is to say four and a half months before the establishment of Aldi… without prior authorization and to everyone’s surprise (see box).

“It fell on everyone’s shoulders”

“I’m still stunnedthunders Frédéric Cros, opposition municipal councilor. There was a total absence of information. I myself found out after the fact, by chance. “It fell on everyone’s shoulders at the same timeconfirms Laurent Terrisse, president of the Soyaux Shopping association. When we found out, everything was already done. »

The chosen one resumes: “The town hall does not control what is happening on its territory. Fifteen days before the opening, there was a town council. The subject was not even mentioned! » No wonder, according to Jérôme Grimal, assistant for planning, works, economic development and shops: “It’s a simple change of sign [c’était auparavant La Halle aux chaussures, NDLR] in a private setting that is not the subject of deliberation”, he says, ensuring that he was informed of the news on April 30, the date of Aldi’s request for the mandatory preliminary safety visit.

Soyaux is not intended to become the zone of food brands in the agglomeration.

If everything has been done in the rules, the relevance of a new food trade questions when Carrefour, Grand Frais, Fraîcheur d’ici and Biocoop are already present within a radius of less than 500 meters. “There are no new housing projects, so no more Sojaldicians and therefore no more customersinsists Frédéric Cros. Aldi will inevitably make its figure at the expense of other businesses. » Same analysis for Laurent Terrisse: “The cake to share is not expandable, the portions will end up getting smaller and smaller. » Especially since Lidl still aims to establish itself in the area, according to its regional director Arnaud Vautrin.

“Soyaux is not intended to become the zone of food brands in the agglomeration”, tempers Jérôme Grimal. Nevertheless, the Aldi case highlights an incongruity: the City does not have the means to control new entrants into its commercial fabric at the risk of creating an imbalance. Aware of the problem, the elected official launched biannual meetings in 2021 with the landowners of the cells in the area. A good intention even if everyone is free to give or not the information they want – “It’s up to them.” “The promoters are large groups in the four corners of France, we are small grains of sand for them. »

Lidl subject to authorisation, not Aldi

The administrative rule is simple: the creation or extension of a retail store or a commercial complex with a sales area of ​​more than 1,000 m² is compulsorily subject to the operating authorization of the Departmental Commission. commercial development. In the event of a dispute, the national authority may be seized. Lidl, with a planned move to an existing building located at Jaufertie of 1,161 m², is therefore concerned, unlike Aldi, which has moved into a cell of less than 1,000 m². Only a request for work for the installation of the exterior sign as well as the interior fittings was necessary. It was followed by a mandatory safety visit carried out on 20 May.

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With this new arrival in Soyaux, Aldi now has three brands in the agglomeration in addition to those existing on the road from Bordeaux to Angoulême and Champniers in the Mountains area. These same sectors were also chosen by Lidl, installed route de Bordeaux in Angoulême, route de Paris in Gond-Pontouvre and rue d’Alsace-Lorraine in Soyaux.