Kaufland closes Albstadt branch: 100 employees face layoffs!

Kaufland closes Albstadt branch: 100 employees face layoffs!

An unexpected farewell is imminent: The Kaufland branch in Albstadt-Ebingen will soon close its doors. At a time when many are dependent on their weekly shopping, this decision hits around 70 to 100 employees hard, as they are to be laid off by the end of January 2026, as Ruhr24 reports. The closure is part of a planned renovation on Kientenstrasse, which will take several years. Customers have to look for alternatives and accept longer journeys to other Kaufland branches.

The closure in Albstadt is not the only one: Kaufland has also had to close branches in Sigmaringen, Aalen and Dortmund in the last few months. These developments raise questions, particularly about the workplace situation and the employees affected. Company management emphasizes that these closures are not part of a general trend, but are due to specific economic considerations. According to [ibp-magazin](https://ibp-magazin.de/kaufland-filialschliessungen-die-chaus Challengeen-fuer-arbeiter-und-die-entscheidende-rolle-des-betriebsrats/), this brings with it challenges in terms of job security and social security.

Economic challenges and affected employees

The closures of Kaufland stores not only represent a logistical challenge, but also have a serious impact on the workforce. Employees are often confronted with uncertainty and have to deal with the prospect of layoffs. The works council plays a crucial role here by representing the interests of the employees and seeking severance pay and alternative employment opportunities in other branches. Lengthy negotiations about social plans are often the order of the day, as was also clear in Bergkamen, where the works council fought for around 100 affected employees.

Kaufland is currently active with 781 locations in Germany, but has announced that it will also open new stores. Knowing that the situation is tense, the company is expanding its online presence. The online marketplace, which is the fourth largest in Germany after Amazon, eBay and Otto, is also being further expanded. In the future, this could represent a supplementary option for customers to do their shopping from the comfort of their own home.

Future outlook

A look at the coming months shows that Kaufland probably wants to open new stores in several cities with more than 10,000 inhabitants. However, the exact locations and schedules are still unclear. According to [Augsburger Allgemeine](https://www.augsburger- Allgemeine.de/panorama/kaufland-schliesst-filialen-diesen-stättenen-8-4-25-102397372), Kaufland also plans to open more branches in cities such as Villingen-Schwenningen, Munich and Frankfurt by the end of 2024.

The challenges facing Kaufland are evidence of the uncertain times in retail. While the company looks at how the market situation will develop, the situation remains tense for many employees and customers. Communication between company management and employees is essential in order to create trust and find a fair solution for everyone involved.