Carrefour exits Kuwait after shutting stores in Bahrain
French retailer Carrefour has shut its stores in Kuwait, marking a latest move in the company’s brisk retreat from the Gulf region.
Carrefour said it has ceased operations in Kuwait on September 16 in an Instagram post published late Tuesday. The company didn’t offer any reasons for the closure or any additional details.
The retailer’s announcement comes just two days after Carrefour’s exit from Bahrain and follows its earlier withdrawal from other regional markets. The retailer exited the Omani market in January and closed all stores in Jordan last November.
UAE-based Majid Al Futtaim, which owns exclusive rights to operate the retailer in 12 markets across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, did not comment on the closures. But it did announce the launch of its new grocery retail brand, HyperMax in Kuwait shortly after the closure post on social media.
HyperMax operates in Oman, Bahrain and Jordan, all markets from which Carrefour has now exited. The new grocery brand has sought to create local relevance, partnering with local stakeholders such as farmers, producers and suppliers to strengthen local supply chains. The new retail chain operates stores at 34 locations across Jordan, six stores in Bahrain and five in Kuwait.
Majid al Futtaim’s retail revenue dipped a nominal 1% year-on-year in the first six months of 2025, which it attributed to the softness in its brick-and-mortar business and the ongoing impact of geopolitical tensions on consumer sentiment in certain markets.
Carrefour continues to operate in residual GCC markets of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE.
Salaam Gateway