• Carrefour to enter Ghana retail market in 2026 via franchise
• Shoprite Ghana stores to be rebranded Carrefour from April 2026
• Plan includes opening five more stores by 2028

French retailer Carrefour plans to enter Ghana’s retail market in 2026 through a franchise partnership, according to a joint statement released by the companies involved. The agreement brings together Carrefour Partenariat International, the group’s international development subsidiary, and local operator Brands For All.

Carrefour’s entry will start with the takeover and rebranding of the entire Shoprite Ghana network. The South African retailer said in June 2025 that it had received an offer for the sale of the seven hypermarkets it operates in the country. These stores are expected to reopen under the Carrefour brand from April 2026, marking the formal start of the French group’s operations in Ghana.

Beyond the acquisition of Shoprite’s existing outlets, the agreement includes a development plan to open five additional stores by 2028. This would bring Carrefour’s total footprint in Ghana to 12 stores.

The strategy is designed to establish the group in a market of roughly 35 million people, nearly 60% of whom live in urban areas, at a time when consumption patterns are gradually shifting.

The Ghana project forms part of Carrefour’s “Plan 2026,” which targets entry into ten new countries through franchising. “This launch in Ghana is another milestone in the execution of our international franchise expansion strategy, which already saw us pass the 3,000 franchised store mark in October 2025,” said Patrick Lasfargues, executive director of Carrefour Partenariat International.

By choosing a franchise model, Carrefour is expanding in Ghana without committing direct capital, limiting its financial exposure. Investment costs are typically borne by the local partner, while the French retailer focuses on brand management, store concepts and supply chains.

Ghana’s retail sector has expanded rapidly in recent years. A report published in November 2025 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated that the market grew by 36.06%, from $24.4 billion in 2021 to $33.2 billion in 2024.

According to the report, food retail activity remains largely concentrated in the capital Accra, near the port of Tema, as well as in Kumasi and Takoradi. However, shopping malls and food retail centres are increasingly developing in regional capitals.

While a significant share of consumers still do their weekly shopping in traditional open markets, this pattern is gradually changing as the middle class expands, the USDA noted.

The agency estimates that food retail in Ghana is dominated by small local grocers and community shops, which account for 83% of the market. Modern trade, including supermarkets, hypermarkets and other organised retail formats, represents the remaining 17%.

Carrefour will face established competition as it seeks to gain a foothold in this segment. The market is led by Melcom, the country’s largest retail chain, which operates nearly 75 hypermarkets.

Other competitors include China Mall, with 12 supermarkets; MaxMart Family Shopping Center, which runs seven supermarkets; Palace Hypermarket, with five hypermarkets; and All Needs, which operates five supermarkets.

The French group will also have to contend with the rapid growth of e-commerce, supported by an internet penetration rate of around 70% and high mobile phone usage. Local players such as Jumia are capitalising on this trend by expanding online ordering and delivery services.

It remains to be seen how quickly Carrefour can capture market share in Ghana’s modern retail segment. In 2024, the group reported a 9.9% increase in revenue, to 94.55 billion euros ($111 billion).

Stéphanas Assocle