Surprise, Surprise! Media Markt Steals the Show from Saturn in Germany
Saturn Shrinkage: Media Markt Expands Its Retail Presence by Acquiring Additional Stores - Saturn Shrinks: Media Industry Increasingly Expands Its Reaches Across Various Sectors
In several German cities, the shopping landscape has changed. Gone are the days of the familiar Saturn store - now, a bold red Media Markt sign greets you in its place, like in Neuss, Hilden, Cologne, and Aachen, to name a few.
The transition is far from over. Once, there were around 150 Saturn stores in Germany. By autumn 2024, only 87 remained, according to Ceconomy, the parent company of the two chains. Since the beginning of this year, Media Markt has taken over 14 more Saturn locations, a spokesperson confirmed, with more to follow. This surge has boosted the number of Media Markt stores to over 300.
It turns out, consumers can't tell their Saturns from their Media Markts. This, in turn, has prompted Ceconomy to invest in modernizing its stores. "We will continue to reopen some Saturn stores as Media Markets," the company said.
The exact number of current Saturn stores and future conversions remains undisclosed, but the Saturn brand is set to remain a vital part of Ceconomy's strategy.
For customers, the transformation means manageable consequences: the product ranges are similar, and offers and advertising are identical. Next week, the loyalty programs will merge. Customers can now shop, collect points, and redeem them at both chains, regardless of the brand. Previously earned points will also be automatically merged.
In Europe, the Media Markt brand is the only one that prevails. In countries like Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Poland, Saturn stores have been closed or transformed into Media Markt over the past few years. As of March 2025, Ceconomy boasts over 1,000 stores across 11 countries.
The first Saturn store made its debut in Cologne in 1961, while the first Media Markt opened its doors in Munich in 1979. Saturn was absorbed by Media Markt in 1990, and Metro AG eventually owned the majority of both brands. The parent company, MediaMarktSaturn Retail Group, was spun off and established as a separate entity called Ceconomy in 2017.
- Electronics
- Loyalty Programs
- Cologne
- Düsseldorf
- Neuss
- Hilden
- Aachen
- Germany
Insight: As of early 2025, around 87 Saturn stores remained in Germany, with 14 being converted into Media Markt stores. Over 300 Media Markt stores are now open across Germany, indicating that a significant number of Saturn stores have been (or are being) converted. The number of Saturn stores in Germany is fewer than 87 and continues to decrease as conversions accelerate. (Source: [3][4])
- Despite the decrease in the number of Saturn stores in Germany, the Saturn brand remains significant in Ceconomy's employment policy, as they continue to invest in modernizing Stores and reopen some as Media Markets.
- In the finance sector, Ceconomy's community policy now allows for customers to shop, collect, and redeem loyalty points at both Saturn and Media Markt stores, signifying a merger of the two retail giants' employment policies.
