In 2019, the German retail trade generated sales totalling 540 billion euros. Despite the growing importance of e-commerce, stationary trade is still a significant factor. In addition to many small retailers, there are a few big players – here is an overview of the 5 largest German retail companies. This article is based on the unique List of the 400 largest retail and wholesale companies in Germany.
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- Excel list of the 400 largest retail and wholesale companies in Germany
- Includes: revenues (2015-2018), number of employees, contact details, executives
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- Last update: 14.05.2020
Place 1: EDEKA ZENTRALE AG & Co. KG, Hamburg: 55.7 billion euros turnover (2019)
The Hamburg-based EDEKA ZENTRALE is at the head of a large group of companies that is the number 1 in German food retailing. EDEKA developed at the end of the 19th century from a merger of Berlin colonial goods traders. Today, the EDEKA network includes around 4,500 independent retailers with over 6,000 food markets. The EDEKA ZENTRALE forms the umbrella with 7 regional companies.
Place 2: REWE Deutscher Supermarkt AG & Co. KGaA, Cologne: 55.4 billion euros turnover (2019)
The second largest German retailer also belongs to the food industry. REWE’s origins go back to the Weimar Republic. After the Second World War, the REWE organisation grew by acquiring various supermarket chains. These have been managed under the REWE umbrella brand since 2006. Only the discounter Penny retained its own image. Around 3,600 stores belong to REWE.
Place 3: CECONOMY AG, Düsseldorf: 21.5 billion euros turnover (2018/19)
Only a few people know the name CECONOMY. The consumer electronics stores Mediamarkt and Saturn, on the other hand, are known to most consumers. They form the core business of CECONOMY, which operates under the umbrella of the MediaMarktSaturn Retail Group. CECONOMY has only been in existence since 2017 and was formed in the context of a complicated split-up of the former Metro Group.
Place 4: Otto (GmbH & Co KG), Hamburg: 14.26 billion euros in sales (2018/19)
The family business Otto grew up with the classic mail order business and is now one of the largest online retailers worldwide after Amazon. The retail trade is the core business of the group, which operates around 100 online shops. In addition to e-commerce, the company continues to be active in brick-and-mortar retail and mail order.
Place 5: GLOBUS Holding GmbH & Co. KG, St. Wendel: 7.7 billion euros turnover (2018/19)
The GLOBUS retail chain was created from a colonial goods shop opened in 1828 in St. Wendel in Saarland. The GLOBUS Holding forms the bracket for various trading divisions of the group with hypermarkets, DIY stores and consumer electronics stores. The company operates under the names of GLOBUS (hypermarkets), GLOBUS Baumarkt and hela Profi (DIY stores) and Alphatecc (consumer electronics stores).Source: Listenchampion Picture source: Unsplash
