This time it really is the end. The Bobigny commercial court has declared the judicial liquidation of the Habitat furniture brand and its 25 points of sale in France, according to the decision noted Release, this Thursday, December 28. An arbitration which takes place a little more than twenty days after its placement in receivership, the judicial administrators having announced on December 15 in the CSE (social and economic committee) that they were going to request its liquidation, in view of the particularly deteriorated situation of the accounts of the company. Humanly, this represents a little more than 380 employees made redundant.
The group was placed in receivership on December 6. In a press release published on November 24, the company explained that it was facing numerous “difficulties” with “the energy crisis” and the “increase in the cost of transport and that of raw materials”. On November 30, she requested relief, citing “profound financial difficulties, largely attributable to previous failing management” as well as “more recent factors” notably “a significant drop in store traffic”. But only ten days after it was placed in receivership by the Bobigny court, the judicial administrators ended up announcing on December 15 in the CSE (social and economic committee) that they were going to request liquidation.
In 2020, the brand was bought by entrepreneur Thierry Le Guénic. The same year, the businessman acquired the clothing brand Burton of London, which also went into receivership last summer and which did not find a buyer. He is today singled out by company employees, who consider him responsible for the collapse of Habitat.