The company behind the bargain retailer Groschen-Markt has filed for insolvency proceedings. All 47 branches of DEC Handelsgesellschaft mbH in Thuringia, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Brandenburg should remain open as usual, according to a statement with joint information from the company and the provisionally appointed insolvency administrator Olaf Spiekermann.
Around 200 employees and 47 branches
The approximately 200 employees are to be informed about the procedure at a staff meeting at short notice. “I will ensure the payment of wages and salaries via the insolvency loss allowance for the months December 2025 to February 2026 via an application to the employment agency,” said Spiekermann. The continued existence of the more than 30-year-old company should be secured.
Online competition from low-cost providers?
The reason for the financial difficulties is pointed to consumer reluctance to consume and structural changes in retail. The communication speaks of a “challenging market environment, coupled with increased infrastructure and personnel costs as well as a market shift in favor of aggressively priced online providers”.
Based in Thuringia
DEC Handelsgesellschaft began its first restructuring measures a few months ago. “In the preliminary proceedings that have now begun, we see an opportunity to continue the restructuring that has begun,” said Managing Director Kurt Becker. The company is based in Dingelstädt, Thuringia (Eichsfeld district) and, according to the information, has a total sales area of more than 35,000 square meters.
The range includes, among other things, household goods, decorative and DIY items as well as stationery. The company sources its goods from around 240 suppliers at home and abroad.