Brussels (Belgium) (AFP) – The European Union on Tuesday validated the takeover of the German distributor Ceconomy, second shareholder of the French group Fnac Darty, by the Chinese giant JD.com.

Published on: 03/11/2026 - 12:07

Brussels has been investigating this acquisition project since May, due to suspicions "that JD.com may have benefited from foreign subsidies, likely to distort competition on the European market".

It was finally approved, under conditions, after commitments from both parties.

JD.com, number three in online commerce in China behind Alibaba and Temu, announced in July 2025 a planned acquisition of Ceconomy, one of the largest European distributors of electronic products, for around 2.2 billion euros.

The Chinese behemoth is in full offensive to break into the international market, particularly in the European market, to compensate for the slowdown in consumption and the fierce price war in China.

Ceconomy is the parent company of the MediaMarkt and Saturn brands.

This announced transaction aroused fears in France as to the repercussions for the future of Fnac Darty, a group which plays a major role in the distribution of cultural products.

After several months of investigation, Brussels however welcomed "the constructive approach of the parties". And considered that it had made it possible to find “commitments which effectively remedy the identified foreign subsidies and their possible distorting effects on the internal market”.

© 2026 AFP

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