Overview
- IFH Köln reports non-food discounters are replacing specialist stores in DIY, décor, stationery and toys, and household goods.
- A March IFH survey found 85% of adults shopped at these chains in the past two years, and 35% made spur-of-the-moment buys.
- In 2025, hardware retailers saw about 4% revenue drops in tools, garden gear and household goods, while Action, Woolworth and Tedi took roughly €1.4 billion in building and garden lines.
- Retail failures reached a 10-year high last year with 2,571 insolvencies, signaling a further slide in shop numbers below 300,000 this year, according to HDE.
- IW Consult estimates purchases on Chinese platforms Temu and Shein divert about €2.5 billion a year from domestic retailers, adding strain on smaller specialist shops.