The number of small retail stores in Germany has declined drastically since 2010. According to a recent analysis by the credit agency Creditreform and the Handelsblatt Research Institute, there were 236,143 small retail stores with annual sales of less than €250,000 in 2010. For 2025, the sales tax statistics show only 170,770 such stores, a drop of 28 percent, reports Junge Freiheit.
Across all size categories, the number of stores shrank by only 16 percent during the same period, meaning the smaller, owner-operated players are being hit far harder. Small and medium-sized enterprises have been left with barely any financial reserves, a bad sign for the country’s battle with continuous bankruptcies.
According to the report, just over 316,000 retail stores overall remain. The German Retail Federation (HDE) warns that the number of stores could drop below 300,000 in 2026, threatening the vitality of city centers.
“The retail sector is among the fastest-shrinking sectors of the German economy,” Creditreform states in its report, with specialty stores in city centers, on side streets, and in shopping malls affected the most. Creditreform economist Patrik-Ludwig Hantzsch points to a combination of factors: inflation, consumer weakness, rising operating costs, and increasing competitive pressure.
In 2025, 2,440 retailers went bankrupt — a 9 percent increase increase over 2024— with fashion stores, bookstores, and bakeries particularly affected.
HDE President Alexander von Preen argues that politicians should lower energy costs and payroll taxes, while landlords should adopt more flexible, revenue-based rents to reduce vacancies. Research from the Institute for Retail Research in Cologne shows that empty storefronts damage city centers by discouraging visitors, weakening city image, reducing foot traffic, and causing financial losses for municipalities and nearby businesses.
At the same time, non-food discount chains such as Action, Tedi, Hema, Woolworth, and Thomas Philipps are gaining market share in household goods, toys, stationery, and other categories. An IfH survey found that 85 percent of Germans have shopped at such stores in the past two years.
Creditreform says cities and retailers must adapt. Traditional shopping-focused city centers are no longer effective in many areas, so cities should better combine shopping, leisure, dining, and living spaces. Small retailers are encouraged to focus on specialization, customer service, digital presence, and unique shopping experiences to remain competitive.
But with these changes, much of the identity of cities may be threatened. “With the decline of smaller specialist retailers, many city centers are losing their distinctiveness and thus their heart,” says HDE CEO Stefan Genth.
With Germany battling an overburdened social system, surging federal deficit, soaring energy prices, and a massive spike in crime and costs due to migration, the choice of retailers in city centers may be the least of its problems. And yet, this barometer pays testament to all the rest.
