GB (supermarket)

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article GB (supermarket), available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 20 July 2025

GB (Grand Bazar) was a supermarket chain based in Belgium, initially owned by the GIB Group until its takeover by the Carrefour Group in 2000.

History

The inaugural Super GB outlet was established in 1958. By 1961, GB introduced Europe's pioneering hypermarket concept named Superbazar with locations in Auderghem, Anderlecht, and Bruges—marking a significant retail innovation outside the U.S. These hypermarkets were renamed Maxi GB in 1985.

The brand further diversified in 1997 by launching GB Express convenience stores, alongside the establishment of Super GB Partner and Contact GB store formats.

After Carrefour Group S.A. acquired GIB Group in July 2000, all Maxi GB hypermarkets underwent modernization and were rebranded as Carrefour outlets. Meanwhile, other GB stores maintained their original branding but experienced refurbishment.

In 2007, the Super GB, Super GB Partner, and Contact GB chains were unified under the Carrefour GB name, and GB Express stores were rebranded as Carrefour Express. Starting from 2009, Carrefour GB locations began converting to Carrefour Market, with the full transition anticipated by 2013/2014.

A strategic restructuring in 2010 resulted in the closure and divestment of certain Carrefour supermarkets in Brussels and Wallonia to an independent franchise operating Champion stores; these were subsequently rebranded as Carrefour Market-Groupe Mestdagh.

By May 2013, Belgium's retail landscape comprised 58 remaining GB supermarkets, 28 Champion outlets in Wallonia, and over 430 stores transitioned to Carrefour Market.

Stores

The GB Group managed several supermarket formats that were all incorporated into Carrefour’s branding by 2007:

Super GB and Super GB Partner, serving as the main supermarket chains.
Contact GB, smaller-scale supermarkets acquired from the Laurus group.
GB Express, convenience stores introduced in 1997 beginning in Berchem-Sainte-Agathe.
Maxi GB and Bigg's Continent, hypermarkets that had been rebranded earlier in 2001.

These changes illustrate the company’s strategic assimilation into Carrefour’s global framework, aimed at increasing market penetration and consolidating brand identity.