The company operates under the name Auchan in France, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania, Portugal, Senegal, Ivory Coast, as Alcampo in Spain, as Aшан (Ashan) in Russia, Ukraine and Tajikistan.

[6] As of 2022, Auchan is one of the world's largest retailers with a direct presence in France, Spain, Portugal, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Ukraine, Russia, Taiwan and Senegal.

[7] Auchan is a rare example of a Western company continuing to operate in Russia after the country's invasion of Ukraine in 2022,[8] as well as actively funding and supporting Russian military effort.

[9][10] As a result, Ukraine’s National Agency on Corruption Prevention placed the company on its International Sponsors of War list.

[15] According to Gérard Mulliez, Roncq location served as a model for other hypermarkets in France in non-food enlargement.

[20] In November 2021, Russian “Auchan” signed with online-delivery service "Sbermarket" a deal of strategic partnership in e-commerce until 2028.

Auchan Russia reportedly both organizes "mandatory voluntary" collections among its employees and provides batches of these items for free.

Its rapid expansion focused primarily in Dakar and surrounding regions, transforming the retail landscape by offering a wide range of products, including both imported goods and locally sourced items.

This approach appealed to an emerging urban middle class seeking modern shopping conveniences in contrast to traditional markets.

[23] As of November 2023, Auchan operated 39 locations throughout Senegal, in addition to offering a drive-through and home delivery service, and is the leading provider of modern food distribution in the country, surpassing Casino, Carrefour, and Elydia.

[24][23] Despite its commercial success, Auchan has faced criticism regarding its competitive practices and impact on local small-scale merchant and its presence in Senegal has been marked by controversy amid broader social movements opposing perceived economic recolonization by French entities.

It comprises a diverse coalition including consumer defense groups like ADEC and ASDEC, business associations such as CNP and UNACOIS, and environmental organizations like Joliba Agrobusiness and Sen Bio.

Modern distribution and the concept of supermarket, as we know it today, was introduced in Portugal by the Brazilian Pão de Açúcar Group (founded in São Paulo by a Portuguese Valentim Diniz), which joined the national group CUF in 1969, creating the company SUPA - Companhia Portuguesa de Supermercados.

It also includes New Immo Holding (previously known as Ceetrus and Immochan), the division which operates shopping centers and hypermarket galleries and Oney (previously known as Bank Accord), the financial services group that offers consumer credits and Auchan and Leroy Merlin credit cards.

Auchan offers online shopping only in those two cities so far and is opening in Suzhou its first AuchanDrive store, based on its French model (click & go) in May 2012.

[37] David Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle said "it was fairly unusual and became something of a tourist attraction" when it had first opened, as it was big enough to house many small businesses in front, such as a travel agency, a jewelry store, a bank, and a food court containing a Taco Bell, McDonald's, and Pizza Hut.

[40] Kaplan said, "Auchan had solid business its first years, but with only two stores in the country, the company lacked buying power and economy-of-scale advantages.

[43] Auchan's venture into Morocco began in January 2001 through acquiring a 49% stake in Marjane, marking the start of a five-year period of cooperation with ONA, a conglomerate with interests spanning mining, agribusiness, distribution, and finance.

By 2006, tensions escalated when ONA unilaterally altered governance terms, increasing its representation in the joint ventures.

[44] On 24 April 2013, the eight-story Rana Plaza commercial building collapsed in Savar, a sub-district near Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.

[48][49] Of the 29 brands identified as having sourced products from the Rana Plaza factories, only 9 attended meetings held in November 2013 to agree a proposal on compensation to the victims.

Auchan, with nearly 300 stores and 41,000 employees in Russia, has been criticized for not announcing any scaling down of its operations, unlike most of its Western competitors.

[53][54] On 23 February 2023, the Ukrainian National Agency on Corruption Prevention added the French chain Auchan Holding to the list of international sponsors of the war.

[57][58] Auchan has been criticized in Senegal for its impact on local small-scale merchants, concerns about unfair competition,[25] potential monopolization,[26] and exploiting less stringent regulations compared to its home country.

[25] In a notable move in October 2018, Senegal's President Macky Sall instructed a halt on new Auchan store openings until regulations on large-scale retail distribution were established, marking a significant early victory for the movement.