Business · Companies · 11 hrs ago
Germany approves Rewe purchase of 38 Tegut supermarkets
Germany approved Rewe’s purchase of 38 Tegut supermarkets as Migros withdraws from German retail.
Rewe had sought to buy 40 stores, but it cannot take over two in Marburg and Schlüchtern for four years.
The competition authority said the limits addressed concerns that Rewe could become too strong in those local areas.
Rewe’s purchase adds less than 0.2% to its national buying volume, according to the authority.
Four major groups already account for more than 90% of German grocery sales, leaving food makers with relatively few large retail customers.
The authority said the market is highly concentrated but concluded this particular deal would not significantly weaken competition.
Edeka and small-store chain Tante Enso are also taking Tegut locations, while what happens to the remaining stores is still unclear.
Germany’s Federal Cartel Office approved Rewe’s purchase of 38 Tegut supermarkets.
Rewe had sought to buy 40 stores, but agreed not to acquire two in Marburg and Schlüchtern for four years.
The authority said the deal would add less than 0.2 percent to Rewe’s national purchasing volume and was not expected to significantly impede competition.
Tegut is part of Migros, which is withdrawing from Germany’s retail market.
The approval is part of the breakup of Tegut’s store network among several buyers.
- Who
- Rewe is buying the stores from Migros subsidiary Tegut, with approval from Germany’s Federal Cartel Office.
- What
- Rewe was cleared to acquire 38 supermarkets.
- When
- The approval was announced on Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
- Where
- The stores are in Germany. Rewe agreed not to acquire the stores in Marburg and Schlüchtern, in Hesse, for four years.
- Why
- The authority concluded the purchase would not significantly impede competition in the purchasing markets.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Migros announced it would withdraw from the German market.
The Cartel Office approved Edeka’s purchase of 178 Tegut stores, subject to Edeka not acquiring 24 other stores for four years.
The Cartel Office approved Rewe’s purchase of 38 Tegut supermarkets, with Rewe agreeing not to acquire two other stores for four years.
- Approved stores
- 38 Tegut supermarkets
- Stores excluded for four years
- Marburg and Schlüchtern
- Rewe’s initial proposal
- 40 stores
- Share of national purchasing volume added
- Less than 0.2 percent
- Edeka purchase previously approved
- 178 Tegut stores
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What people are saying
The fact is: high concentration alone is not enough under competition law to prohibit a merger.
With this, we prevent competition conditions for consumers in the affected regions from worsening significantly.
The decision creates clarity and planning certainty for all involved.