Grocery trade: Future of 36 Tegut supermarkets still unclear

After Edeka and Aunt Enso, Rewe also won the contract for a package of Tegut branches. However, no buyer has yet been found for numerous supermarkets.

Tegut was founded in Fulda in 1947. Photo: Andreas Arnold/dpa

Zurich. The retail chains Rewe, Edeka and Tante Enso are taking over 252 Tegut supermarkets. However, the future of the remaining locations is still open. 36 Tegut branches have not yet been sold. The previous owner, the Swiss cooperative Migros Zurich, announced this upon request.

“Locations for which no buyer has yet been found will be awarded in a further bidding process that is currently ongoing,” said a company spokeswoman. The stores would remain open until the takeover. Migros did not name any interested parties. The questions as to when the process should be completed and when branches might have to be closed initially remained unanswered.

Criticism of high market concentration

This week, the Federal Cartel Office approved the acquisition of 38 Tegut branches by Rewe. As with the Edeka group, which takes over 178 branches, the release only applies under certain conditions. Because of competition concerns, both grocers are not allowed to buy as many supermarkets as planned. A third package with 36 locations goes to the smart store chain Tante Enso.

The takeovers are sometimes controversial among experts. The Monopolies Commission criticizes the high market concentration in the food retail sector and fears disadvantages for consumers. The four major retail chains in Germany already account for more than 90 percent of the local food retail sales, according to the independent advisory committee.

Edeka continues to sell 35 “Teo” stores

The Edeka takeover package also includes the Tegut logistics center in Hünfeld-Michelsrombach, the Herzberger bakery and the 41 staffless “Teo” mini markets. However, Edeka will not continue to operate all of them itself. Yobsti Nahbedarf GmbH, a smart store operator from Mannheim, is taking over 35 of the “Teo” stores. Edeka will supply the locations in the future.

Migros Zurich announced in March that it wanted to sell Tegut. The brand should be abandoned. Tegut was founded in Fulda in 1947 and has been part of the Migros Group since 2013. The chain is represented in six federal states, most of the markets are in Hesse. According to Migros, Tegut employs almost 7,500 people.