Casino becomes Plesio and reaffirms its role as a franchisor

On 20 October 2026, Casino Group announced that it was adopting the name Plesio, a word meaning ‘proximity’ in Greek. The change applies to the group, not its retail brands. For the franchise community, the announcement centres on a renewed commitment to strengthening support for franchise operators under the Renouveau 2030 strategic plan.

A new name for the group, not its retail brands

Monoprix, Casino, Spar, Vival, Cdiscount, Franprix and Naturalia will retain their names and identities. The group’s press release makes clear that customers will see no change to store branding. It is therefore important to distinguish the group’s new name from those of the retail networks in its portfolio.

This distinction is particularly important for Casino: while Plesio replaces Casino as the group’s name, Casino remains a retail brand. The announcement does not mean that Casino shopfronts will be replaced with Plesio signage.

There is also a legal step still to come. The change to the listed company’s registered name must be submitted for shareholder approval at the next annual general meeting, scheduled for 2027. The announced adoption of Plesio and the formal change of registered company name therefore follow different timelines.

Neighbourhood retail at the heart of its positioning

Plesio describes itself as France’s leading network of neighbourhood retailers. The group reports nearly 6,500 outlets, 25,000 employees and €12.5 billion in business volume in 2025. These figures cover the group as a whole, rather than its franchised outlets alone.

The new name emphasises proximity to customers, while Renouveau 2030 remains the strategic framework. The plan targets three markets: everyday shopping, takeaway food and services. The name change is therefore not presented as a departure from this roadmap.

For franchise operators, these three areas indicate the priorities the group intends to support. Beyond everyday grocery shopping, takeaway food and services feature explicitly in its stated ambitions. However, the press release does not set out a rollout timetable for each brand.

A renewed commitment to franchisee support

The press release devotes a section to the group’s role as a franchisor. Plesio says it is ‘also strengthening its role as a franchisor by supporting its franchise operators while respecting their freedom to run their own businesses’. The commitment thus combines group support with independence for the entrepreneurs operating its stores.

The shared resources mentioned are intended to help roll out retail concepts, refurbish stores and develop takeaway food. These are the main areas of support identified in the announcement. They place franchisees at the heart of implementing the strategy, beyond the change in the group’s identity alone.

Philippe Palazzi, Chief Executive of Plesio, summarises this approach in the 20 October press release: ‘We will roll out our concepts, develop takeaway food and services, and give our franchise operators the means to succeed.’ This statement sets a direction without specifying the resources that would be allocated to each store.

What prospective franchisees can take from the announcement

The announcement gives neither a total number of franchisees in the group nor details of any new entry requirements for its networks. It should therefore be read as a statement about Plesio’s positioning and promised support, rather than the launch of a new contractual offering.

Entrepreneurs comparing neighbourhood retail franchises should continue to assess and approach each brand separately. A shared group name does not establish that their concepts, entry requirements or support arrangements are identical.

Key takeaway: before committing, prospective franchisees should ask their chosen brand how the announced shared resources would translate into practical support for their project, particularly for refurbishment, takeaway food and services.