Migros has denied a report that it is about to announce the merger of its ten regional cooperatives into a single national organisation. The retailer says the claim is speculation, though it confirms a major management event is planned for 27 October.
The report, published by a local financial blog on Thursday, claimed chief executive Mario Irminger would unveil a “New Migros” plan at an event in Zurich-Oerlikon on 27 October. It said the plan would end the regional structure and create a unified “One Migros” organisation.
But Migros has strongly denied the report. Spokesperson Prisca Huguenin-dit-Lenoir called it a “wild speculation story”, according to Schweiz heute.
The company did not confirm the content of the 27 October event. Apparently, around 400 top managers are invited to the StageOne venue in Zurich-Oerlikon, but the agenda is not public.
The idea of restructuring the regional cooperatives is not new. NZZ am Sonntag reported in September that Migros was examining two options: cutting the ten regional cooperatives to three or merging them into one. It said Irminger favoured the single-cooperative option, but Migros said no decision had been taken.
A merger would need approval from 2.3 million cooperative members, usually with a two-thirds majority. Notably, job cuts are also a possibility if the reform goes ahead.
Migros did not deny the work, pointing instead to its “Vision 2035” strategy.
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What Happens Next?
The 27 October event may clarify the direction, but Migros has not said what will be announced. Until then, the merger claim remains unconfirmed and denied by the company.
