RTG International, the German purchasing alliance, has joined newly formed European peer Concordis as a founding partner. 

Concordis, initially announced on 7 July, includes French retail companies Carrefour and Coopérative U as partners.  

RTG International represents several German retailers including Rossmann, Globus, and Bartels-Langness, along with Bünting, Netto, and Kaes.  

In a joint statement released on 13 August, the partners said they are “focusing on improving purchasing conditions with major multinational suppliers of branded consumer goods”. 

The alliance also seeks to “reduce costs, increase productivity, improve product quality, strengthen innovation and respond more effectively to the expectations of consumers”.  

Alexandre Bompard, chairman and CEO of Carrefour, said RTG International’s integration into Concordis “marks a decisive step in the consolidation of our European alliance”, it brings “together two of the largest consumer markets in Europe and strengthens its negotiating power on a continental scale”.  

Collectively, these groups generate nearly €31bn ($36.21bn) in revenue across approximately 570 hypermarkets, 770 supermarkets, and 2,230 drugstores. 

Bompard added that “the growing diversity of distribution channels represented – large-scale food retailers, specialised retailers, and now the fast-growing drugstore segment – is a major asset in our dialogue with manufacturers”. 

Michael Kutz, managing director of RTG International, said its German retailers will benefit from an “enhanced position in international negotiations” and the alliance is “crucial for our long-term competitiveness”.  

Kutz went on to say that in an environment marked by “increasing pressure on purchasing power, this collaboration allows us to secure the best conditions with our international partners”. 

Concordis’ formation has been notified to French and German regulators, allowing it to be ready for 2026 negotiations, the partners said.  

Carrefour, Coopérative U, and RTG International said they plan to welcome additional partners later, selecting them based on their market size to continue building a leading European buying alliance. 

Together, the three founding partners of Concordis represent a combined turnover of over €125bn.  

With presence across France, Germany, and Spain, the three groups cover an array of store formats, including hypermarkets, supermarkets, convenience stores, and drugstores.