According to information provided by the publication BILD, the number of retail stores in Germany continues to decline and is expected to fall below 300,000 by 2026. This will be the first occurrence since the reunification of the country.
The German Trade Association (HDE) reports that a reduction of 4,900 retail outlets is anticipated, bringing the total to 296,600. Since 2015, the market has already lost about 70,000 stores, despite the emergence of new ones.
“The most significant reduction occurred during the pandemic when many businesses could not withstand the imposed restrictions. In 2021, about 11,500 stores closed, and in 2022, another approximately 11,000. The decline continues in the following years,” the report notes.
Currently, the bankruptcy rate in the retail sector remains at a maximum for the last ten years. Among the companies that have announced the closure of their stores or a reduction in their networks are Eterna, Pieper, Görtz, Gerry Weber, Wormland, as well as the chains Depot and Kodi.
Experts link this situation to the increase in online shopping and the decline in consumer activity. According to HDE, in 2025, online sales are expected to grow by about 3.5%, while traditional stores are hardly increasing their turnover.
