This news brief updates and supplements the November 2022 report “The Dangerous Liaisons of the Carrefour Group with Israeli Colonisation”, which revealed the Carrefour Group’s complicity in serious violations of international human rights law through franchise agreements concluded with the Israeli retail group Electra Consumer Products/Yenot Bitan, an entity deeply involved in the development of settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). Three subsequent news briefs — “Carrefour Intensifies Its Links with the Illegal Colonisation of Palestine” (October 2023), “Carrefour Intensifies Its Links with the Illegal Colonisation of Palestine and the Crimes of the State of Israel” (May 2024), and “Carrefour withdraws its products from Israeli settlements, but remains intricately linked to the Israeli settlement enterprise” (August 2024) — documented the evolution of the relationship between the Carrefour Group and its franchised stores in the OPT, and uncovered new partnerships established with Israeli banks and companies involved in settlement activity.
The present document aims to provide a fully referenced and detailled update on the current situation and recent developments regarding Carrefour stores and its franchised brands in the OPT. It establishes that, contrary to the company’s public denials, Carrefour continues to expand its presence in illegal settlements. This expansion is occurring despite, on the one hand, the International Court of Justice’s finding that the Israeli occupation is unlawful and its reiteration of the obligations incumbent upon third states—including entities under their jurisdiction—not to provide assistance; and, on the other hand, the fact that the scale and gravity of Israeli violations have reached unprecedented levels. These include ongoing settlement expansion and forced displacement in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as well as the large-scale destruction of the Gaza Strip, which has been characterized as genocidal by leading international bodies and human rights organizations. The document concludes with recommendations from the signatory organizations.
The signatory organisations are committed to promoting divestment by companies and/or institutions involved in the unlawful occupation and illegal settlement of Palestinian territory. They also advocate for state-imposed sanctions against Israel for its violations of international law.
In this context, the demand of our organisations remains more relevant than ever: the Carrefour Group must terminate all agreements it has entered into to establish itself in Israel, as these agreements are based on partnerships with companies involved in settlement activity, which constitutes a war crime and a crime against humanity under international law.
The Carrefour Group must also put an end to its direct involvement in the settlement enterprise, as called for by the highest international authorities. The new evidence presented in this news brief shows – contrary to Carrefour’s statements – not only that its franchised brands continue to operate in settlements and are expanding their activities there, but also that some stores have been converted into Carrefour-branded outlets, despite the context of intensified settlement expansion and the genocidal war waged against the Palestinian people in Gaza.
In any event, the French State, as the primary actor responsible under international law for regulating the activities of companies under its jurisdiction — as confirmed by the ICJ advisory opinion of July 19, 2024 and the UNGA resolution of September 18, 2024 — must urgently adopt measures preventing trade and investment that contribute to maintaining Israel’s unlawful presence in the OPT.
Table of contents
1. Background
2. Carrefour-branded store in the settlement of Neve Ya’akov in East Jerusalem
3. Carrefour-branded store in the settlement of Maccabim in Modi’in
4. Shuk Mehadrin online order delivery platform
5. Continued expansion of Carrefour in Israel
6. Consequences in Arab countries
7. Recommendations
Annexes
Annex 1 - Franchises and brands
Annex 2 - Transition of two franchisees in the OPT to the Carrefour brand
Annex 3 - Carrefour franchisees in the OPT
