Depot lays off 330 staff, closing 105 stores

Insolvent home-decor and furnishings chain Depot (GDC Deutschland GmbH) released around 330 employees effective 1 August 2026 — roughly 220 from its stores and 110 from head office and field sales. Of the 155 remaining locations, 105 are closing; only about 50 stores are to remain alongside online sales and shop-in-shop space. Owner Christian Gries cites higher import tariffs, competition from Asian online platforms such as Temu and Shein, and consumer spending restraint. It is the company's second insolvency in two years: the current self-administration proceeding was filed in May 2026 at Aschaffenburg district court, while the 2024 proceeding had already cost 250 store closures and some 2,000 jobs. Update (26 August 2026): GDC Deutschland will cease operations entirely on 30 September 2026; the remaining roughly 730 employees have been dismissed (separate follow-up entry).