Depot closes further branches across Germany
The retail chain Depot shrinks significantly. In order to be able to keep up again and keep up with cheaper online portals such as Temu or shops such as action, the dealer wants to become one thing in the future: faster. The company is trying to restart. In the first three months of the year, 45 branches have already been closed. In April and May, 54 others are to be closed, explains owner Christian Gries in an interview with the German Press Agency.
2000 people lose their workplace
According to Gries, between 150 and 180 depot branches should remain. As a result of the closings this year, around 2,000 of the 3,300 employees are expected to lose their workplace. The company of continuing the old size is impossible, says Gries. « We can bring our business back to success – by optimizing the costs and giving depot new swing. That is the only chance to survive. »
In July 2024, the decorative chain applied for bankruptcy
A few years ago, the chain, which is based in the Lower Franconian community of Niedernberg, still had around 400 shops in Germany. During and after the Corona period, Depot had difficulty struggling. Due to the impending insolvency was in July 2024 insolvency applied for in -house.
So far, Depot has been a daughter of the Gries Deco Company (GDC), which is now being handled. The decorative chain is to be transferred to a newly founded company, GDC Deutschland GmbH. According to Gries, this will take over essential assets and continue the company. The creditor committee has released the purchase contract at the beginning of the week. In addition to the old and new owner Gries, Marco de Benedetti, the former German director of Tupperware, is also a member of the management.
In Switzerland, all depot branches had to close
Depot subsidiaries abroad have recently filed for bankruptcy. In Austria, the branch network decreased to 27 locations, in Switzerland everyone was closed. In addition to the branches, Depot would still like to operate small shops in Germany that are integrated into markets of retailers such as Rewe and Edeka. There are currently around 165 of them. (with dpa)
