Gamma shifts focus as seven stores remain in Wallonia

Gamma is shifting its attention and investment in Belgium towards Flanders, but is not withdrawing from the country. RetailDetail reported the move on 29 September 2026, citing a press release from parent company Intergamma. Seven stores remain in Wallonia following earlier closures. For those involved in Belgian franchising, the news underlines the importance of distinguishing between a regional retrenchment and a nationwide exit.

Closures raised questions about Gamma’s future in Belgium

Gamma’s two Brussels stores have recently closed. Several branches in Wallonia have also shut over the past few years. According to RetailDetail, these closures fuelled rumours that Gamma might leave Belgium altogether. Intergamma rejects that scenario: the company intends to remain in Belgium, but with a different geographical focus.

Retail, Franchising & Co also reported on the change of direction on 30 September. Both reports carry the same core message: Gamma is reducing its presence in the French-speaking part of the country and directing more attention and investment towards Flanders, Belgium’s Dutch-speaking region.

That distinction matters. Store closures in Brussels and Wallonia do not mean that the entire Belgian network is being wound down. Equally, confirmation that Gamma has a future in Belgium does not mean it has the same ambitions in every region. The announced strategy is explicitly regional.

Seven stores in Wallonia, but no further details

RetailDetail reports that seven stores remain in Wallonia. This means the chain has not left the region entirely following the earlier closures. However, the reports available do not list those stores or set out individual plans for their future.

It would therefore be a step too far to interpret this figure as a long-term guarantee. The available information confirms Gamma’s remaining presence, but not what investment each store will receive or how the Walloon network will develop. Nor do the sources give any specific dates for further closures.

For local business owners, that distinction is particularly relevant. A statement about a chain’s strategy indicates its direction, but does not automatically answer questions about a particular location. Anyone assessing the implications for a local retail area will therefore need further information about the store concerned.

The available reports also provide no details on the implications for any franchise agreements at the stores involved. No conclusions on that point can be drawn from these sources.

Ambitions in Flanders counter the prospect of a nationwide exit

Alongside the retrenchment in the French-speaking part of Belgium, Gamma has set a growth target for Flanders. The chain aims to reach 75 to 80 stores there over the coming years. That ambition supports Intergamma’s message that a complete withdrawal from Belgium is not on the cards.

This figure is a target, not the current store count. The available reports give neither a precise deadline nor a list of announced new locations. It is therefore important not to confuse the ambition with a confirmed programme of store openings.

Taken together, the information points to a network whose geographical focus within Belgium is changing. On one side are the closures already reported and the seven remaining stores in Wallonia. On the other is the intention to expand further in Flanders. Both developments form part of the same story; neither cancels out the other.

What the franchise community can learn from this news

For those involved in Belgian franchising, this news is above all a reminder to read reports about store networks carefully. The country in which a brand remains active, the region in which it intends to invest and the future of an individual store are three distinct levels of information. They should not be treated as interchangeable.

In this case, the national message is clear: Intergamma denies that Gamma is leaving Belgium. The regional message is equally clear: Flanders will receive more attention and investment. At a local level, the available information remains more limited, particularly regarding the future development of the seven stores in Wallonia.

Anyone using such reports to inform a business decision should therefore verify specific store plans and agreements separately. The overall strategy alone is not enough to establish the opportunities or risks for an individual location.

Practical takeaway: view Gamma’s change of direction as a regional refocusing, not an exit from Belgium. For any specific location, ask for confirmed plans: the available reports do not yet provide a complete picture.