German antitrust authority blocks Edeka's acquisition of 38 Tegut supermarkets

The Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) has halted the planned takeover by supermarket chain Edeka of roughly 200 Tegut stores because it identified competition problems at 38 locations where Edeka would become regionally dominant. The agency extended the main review deadline to 23 September and expects about 1,100 jobs could be at risk if the contested stores are removed from the deal.

Edeka has offered to relinquish nine of the disputed sites to secure approval for the remaining stores. Other buyers are also in the process: the Rewe Group is bidding for up to 40 locations, while the smart‑store chain Tante Enso has already received clearance for 36 Tegut outlets. Tegut, founded in Fulda in 1947, is owned by Switzerland's Migros group. The case echoes a 2015‑2016 merger involving Kaiser’s Tengelmann that required a political exemption to proceed.

If the Cartel Office’s concerns are not resolved, the transaction could be reshaped, affecting regional market structures and preserving thousands of jobs.