Kaufland and others expand as Real department store chain closes

The department store chain Real has ceased operations following a series of acquisitions and conversions. After the Düsseldorf-based Metro AG sought to sell the nationwide Real branches, a Russian investor group initially took over the chain before selling major portions to Kaufland, Edeka, and Globus Holding.

Kaufland acquired up to 92 former Real locations and integrated the real.de online marketplace into kaufland.de. Globus Holding secured 16 former Real sites.

The transition has met with resistance from long-time customers who report dissatisfaction with changes to store layouts, product assortments, and checkout systems. Specific complaints include the removal of fresh meat counters in certain locations, such as Parchim, in favor of pre-packaged meat. Customers in areas like Hamm have also expressed disappointment over the disappearance of local Real stores in favor of multiple Kaufland branches.