2027 Awards: Optical Center, Atol and Newpharma recognised

Optical Center, Atol and Newpharma are among the brands recognised at the 2027 Best Retail Chain, Best Online Retailer and Best Franchise of the Year Awards. Held on 23 September 2026 at the Aéro-Club de France in Paris, the ceremony highlighted several distinct types of achievement. For those exploring the French franchise market, the awards offer an indication of brand recognition, but it is important to distinguish between the categories.

The 2027 winners announced in September 2026

According to a report published on 28 September by Toute la Franchise, more than one million consumer votes helped identify France’s favourite brands for these awards. The Paris ceremony brought together 120 business leaders. Despite carrying the 2027 label, the awards were indeed presented in September 2026.

The results include 34 brands recognised in the 2027 Best Retail Chain Awards, 13 networks honoured in the 2027 Best Franchise Awards and 17 websites recognised in the 2027 Best Online Retailer Awards. These are three separate groups: retail chains, franchise networks and online retailers should not be conflated when interpreting the results.

Another useful clarification: the reported figure refers to votes, not an explicitly established number of unique voters. It indicates the scale of participation reported, but does not tell us how many different people voted.

Atol and Newpharma take the top prizes

Optical retailer Atol won the overall 2027 Best Retail Chain Award, with a reported score of 9.47 out of 10. This placed it first across all categories within the retail chain awards.

In online retail, Newpharma won the overall 2027 Best Online Retailer Award, with an overall satisfaction score of 9.41 out of 10. Each brand therefore took a top prize, but in a different award category.

This distinction matters: neither Atol nor Newpharma is presented here as the winner of the best franchise award. Their presence at the same ceremony does not make the awards interchangeable. Prospective franchisees reviewing brands’ promotional material should check the exact title of an award to avoid drawing hasty comparisons.

Optical Center recognised among franchise networks

In the franchise awards, Optical Center received the 2027 Best Franchise Award in the beauty, health and fashion accessories category. The report also highlighted two other winners: La Vignery, in food retail, and Casino, in convenience retail.

These awards raise the profile of networks operating in different sectors. However, they do not, on their own, provide a comparison of those networks’ business models. The published results reflect recognition based on consumer votes; they provide no data on franchisees’ financial performance or operating conditions.

The full list of 13 award-winning networks is not included in the information reported here. It is therefore important to stick to the brands explicitly named, rather than presenting these three as the complete list of franchise winners.

One reference point when choosing a franchise network

For those interested in franchising in France, these awards offer an introduction to brands’ latest developments and how consumers perceive them. They have genuine value as an indicator of recognition, but their significance should remain tied to what has actually been measured and published.

The available information does not detail how participants were recruited, the voting period or how the criteria were weighted. The reported scores should therefore not be used to draw broad conclusions about an outlet’s profitability, the quality of a franchisor’s support or the prospects for a particular location.

Key takeaway for prospective franchisees: note the exact award title and category, then build on that initial information by reviewing the network’s documentation and speaking to its franchisees. An award can start a conversation; it cannot replace a thorough assessment of the business opportunity.