Kaufland lays off all employees in Albstadt-Ebingen – protests announced!

Kaufland lays off all employees in Albstadt-Ebingen – protests announced!

Kaufland, the retail giant owned by the Schwarz Group, is facing significant changes that are currently severely affecting the employees of the branch in Albstadt-Ebingen in Baden-Württemberg. Loud Mercury The company plans to lay off the entire workforce at the site. This decision was communicated to employees in two meetings on June 24, 2025.

The branch will not be closed just like that, but as part of a planned renovation that will last several years. Kaufland informed employees that construction was expected to take three to four years, which didn't exactly improve the mood among the affected employees. Instead of being deployed to other branches during the renovation phase, the employees only received the news that they were being terminated - a circumstance that was met with heavy criticism Swabian reported.

The impending end for 80 employees

A total of 80 employees work at the Albstadt-Ebingen location. They must now expect termination, which will take effect either on December 31, 2025 or January 31, 2026. Kaufland decided to lay off all employees and did not offer them alternative positions, only severance pay. This attitude has led the workforce to consider legal action against the dismissals. A common front has emerged among workers who want to fight for their rights.

Kaufland had already set an example by closing several locations in Germany. The employees from the closed branch in Sigmaringen were also surprised because they expected to be deployed in Ebingen. It seems that Kaufland is focusing on the closure and renovation without sufficiently taking the burden on the workforce into account.

New course at Kaufland

Parallel to the developments in Albstadt, Kaufland is also facing changes at the logistics location in Donnersdorf. More than 350 to 550 jobs are to be cut, meaning that a large proportion of the workforce will be affected by layoffs. How The West reports, Kaufland plans to rely on subcontractors in the future in order to be able to react more flexibly to the requirements in promotional goods logistics. This raises questions about the social conditions and wages that former Kaufland employees can expect in the future.

The Verdi union has already clearly criticized these steps and warns of an erosion of social standards. After all, Kaufland had made headlines in the past by paying a fine for fictitious work contracts and underpaying subcontracted employees.

All in all, Kaufland is confronted with massive changes and challenges. While the group is implementing the planned renovations and strategic changes, it remains to be seen how the situation will develop for the affected employees and whether an agreement will be reached that meets both the company's economic goals and the needs of the employees.