A hundred jobs are therefore threatened, told Belga Noëlle Pelanis on Wednesday, permanent CGSLB secretary, confirming information from RTL-TVI.
“Claire’s Belgium has failed in bankruptcy before the business court. The workers are now expecting from knowing what the curator will decide”explains the trade unionist. In the meantime, Claire’s stores in Belgium will remain open, added the CGSLB in a press release.
However, this bankruptcy in Belgium does not represent a surprise. Last week, the group had already placed under the protection of the American bankruptcy law, called Chapter 11, its American activities and several of its subsidiaries operating stores under the brands Claire’s and Icing.
The decision to initiate bankruptcy procedure in the United States “is difficult but necessary”had then claimed Chris Cramer, patron of Claire’s since June 2024, quoted in a press release. “Increased competition, consumer spending trends and continuous distance from street trade, associated with our current debt obligations and macroeconomic factors, require this measure”he added.
At the end of July, the French subsidiary of the group was also placed in receivership.
According to the Claire’s website, the group operates in total more than 2,750 stores in its name in seventeen countries in North America and Europe as well as 190 ICING stores in North America. It also has more than 300 franchise stores in the Middle East and South Africa and sells its products in thousands of concessions worldwide.
Thirty Claire’s stores are located in Belgium, which also does not have franchisees, specifies Noëlle Pelanis.
In our region, there are three Claire’s stores: one on a left bank, one to town 2 and one last at Cora de Châtellineau.