Carrefour Loses Lawsuit, Ordered to Pay NIS 117,000 for Noise Disturbances

A Jerusalem court has ordered "Global Retail," the franchisee of the Carrefour supermarket chain in Israel, to pay NIS 100,000 in damages for emotional distress and NIS 17,000 in legal costs to an 86-year-old Jerusalem resident. The ruling concludes a legal battle spanning over a decade, initiated by the plaintiff, a bereaved father, due to unbearable noise disturbances originating from the supermarket's late-night supply truck deliveries.

The resident's ordeal began approximately 12 years ago when the ground-floor supermarket in his building started receiving deliveries via trucks during the late-night hours. Despite previous settlement agreements and injunctions issued over the years, the trucks continued to unload goods in the early morning hours, disrupting his sleep. The plaintiff testified emotionally about years of sleep deprivation, documenting hundreds of violations by photographing the trucks from his window, while delivery drivers allegedly ignored restrictions and hurled curses at him.

Judge Orna Sandler-Eitan criticized the supermarket chain, stating that Carrefour chose to ignore the suppliers' violations as long as it did not incur financial losses. The court found that the plaintiff suffered a tangible and ongoing interference with the reasonable use of his apartment, constituting a private nuisance claim.

The judge also directed criticism towards the Jerusalem Municipality, suggesting that it should more rigorously enforce business license conditions to prevent citizens from engaging in prolonged legal battles simply to achieve peace in their homes.