Glashütte fights for the food market: Open letter to Edeka!

Glashütte fights for the food market: Open letter to Edeka!

In Glashütte there is rumbling dissatisfaction about the food supply. The small town has been without a grocery store for three years after Edeka closed its doors. Mayor Sven Gleißberg, who takes the concerns of his citizens seriously, has therefore taken the initiative and sent a clear appeal to Edeka headquarters in an open letter to find a solution. The letter, which received widespread attention, emphasizes the central role of a healthy food supply to the community. Because without a good range of food, not only the shopping experience suffers, but also the social interaction of citizens.

Gleißberg has not remained idle. He held numerous discussions with Edeka and the property owner to negotiate a new location. In vain. Despite the city's active support in finding space, no property owner has provided the necessary space. The mayor even expressed his willingness to buy the property himself, but this was rejected by Edeka. The frustration is great, and Gleißberg has set a clear deadline: a solution should be found by the end of 2025, otherwise the city will seek external support to examine alternative options for a food market without Edeka.

A market for the future

The situation could well have a dramatic impact on the local community. This is not just a problem for the people of Glashütte: food supplies in rural areas are increasingly at risk. According to the EDEKA association, attractive supply focuses are increasingly shifting from residential locations to areas with good transport links, which particularly affects rural regions. It is reported that over 3.15 million people were employed in retail in 2021, with almost 90% of the area in Germany being rural. These changes require a rethinking of food policy as access to a healthy and diverse food supply becomes important to more and more consumers.

Things could take a positive turn in Glashütte, as a large food supplier has expressed interest in taking over the market at its existing size. While Edeka is planning to set up a small Diska market, the associated building application was rejected - another setback in the already tense situation. It remains to be seen how the city and Edeka headquarters will respond to the challenges.

Citizens are looking forward to seeing how the situation will develop by the end of the year. It remains to be seen whether the talks will be successful or whether the city will have to implement the announced Plan B. One thing is certain: basic food supplies are essential for local people and must not be neglected any further. If nothing has changed by the first quarter of 2026, the results of the review of the options will be discussed in the city council, and the people of Glashütte hope for early progress.