A landmark shift in Réunion Island's retail landscape. France's Competition Authority (Autorité de la concurrence) approved, on 31 July 2026, decision 26-DCC-164 authorising the strategic merger between the Caillé group — operator of around 50 Leader Price outlets — and IBL, shareholder of Make Distribution, which runs the island's 4 Run Market hypermarkets. The combined entity becomes Réunion's de facto retail leader.
€200M in Revenue, Shrinking Losses
Data released on 15 August 2026 show Run Market now generates over €200 million in annual revenue — a sign of solid trading despite years of financial turbulence. Past net losses were steep: €17.8 million in 2020, €59.9 million in 2021 and €12.5 million in 2022. The improvement is real, yet the brand has not yet returned to profit.
A Mauritian Giant Steps Back
IBL — one of Mauritius's largest conglomerates — hands operational control of its Réunion stores to the locally rooted Caillé group. The deal consolidates over 53 points of sale island-wide under two complementary banners: Run Market hypermarkets and Leader Price discount stores.
780 Jobs Secured, Strict Conditions
The Competition Authority attached firm conditions. IBL, through subsidiaries Edena (bottling) and Phoenix Réunion (beverage distribution), must apply "fair, transparent and non-discriminatory" terms and cannot bundle product sales. Edena's Coca-Cola exclusivity contract takes effect 1 October 2026. The 780 employees of Make Distribution gain certainty about their future as a result of this clearance.
Why It Matters
On an island where the cost of living is a chronic concern, any reshuffle in the grocery sector carries real weight. The emergence of a single dominant retail player raises legitimate questions about competition and consumer prices — which is precisely why the regulator attached conditions. The true test will come in execution: can the new group stabilise Run Market's finances while keeping prices in check for Réunion's households?
Sources: Outremers360°, Lineaires.com, Leader Réunion, Competition Authority (decision 26-DCC-164, 31 July 2026), Memento.fr (15 August 2026).