Compiled 26 September, updated 7 November 2025
Reading a post by the ‘usual’ Olivier Dauvers about the local Luxembourg retailer Cactus – which owns one of the largest food factories in the country – I took some further cues to write more about the acquisition of Carrefour Italia by the New Princes group.
Dauvers talks about Cactus’ 20,000 square metre food plant, which produces ready meals, pastries, salads, etc.
A bit like Esselunga does.
- And let me get to the point: in in-house production models such as those of Esselunga, Migros and Cactus, there are no conflicts of interest because private label products are only sold through their own network outlets.
I am of course referring to the country of production. The exceptions concern other countries, as was the case with Esselunga products bought and sold by Delhaize in Belgium.
We are not talking about consumer products on the market, as in the case of New Princes, but only private label products: there is a huge difference.
- the fact that New Princes’ products are present at all national GD and at Carrefour is not an advantage but represents an Achilles’ heel: if strong rivalries were to arise – for example – over prices or other aspects between Carrefour – GS and Coop , the latter could use the presence of New Princes’ products as a cudgel, reducing its assortment.
There is therefore no possible ‘Swiss model’ for New Princes as some have written, thinking of Migros, whose products, in Switzerland, are instead only sold by the Swiss cooperative.
As I have already said, there is a big difference between cheer and reality in this matter.
Above: ready meals produced in Limito di Pioltello, Esselunga headquarters.
P.S.: and then, as Luigi Consiglio points out, there is an antitrust issue concerning trading conditions.
