Will it not be sold in MediaMarkt stores in the near future?

By: Trademagazin Date: 2025. 08. 25. 11:09

The ownership structure of Germany’s Ceconomy AG, which operates the MediaMarkt and Saturn retail chains, is gradually becoming final: the largest shareholder will be China’s JD.com. However, Convergenta Invest, owned by the Kellerhaus family, has retained a 25.35 percent stake, meaning that the two main shareholders together will control more than 57 percent of the company. JD.com’s offer of €4.6 per share has been accepted by the majority of major shareholders, and the offer remains open.

However, the acquisition is not just a financial transaction: according to experts, the arrival of JD.com could usher in a radically new era in German retail – reports vg.hu. In China, the tech giant has already established a system of staff-free stores and largely automated logistics centers. Richard Liu, founder of JD.com, stated back in 2017 that within ten years the company would operate without employees – no cashiers, warehouse workers, or couriers.

Hamarosan Magyarországon is elérhető lesz a MediaMarkt piactere

Today this vision has become reality in China, and management consultants believe that if the process starts in Europe, other retail chains will have to follow suit in order to remain competitive. The acquisition of MediaMarkt-Saturn could therefore trigger a retail revolution in Germany and across the entire continent.

The question, however, arises: what about people? Liu later emphasized that machines should only take over boring, repetitive tasks. There will be fewer people, but they will be better trained, better paid, and focused on strategic roles. “People don’t need to compete with machines. Machines will take over monotonous work – while people can focus on creative, strategic tasks,” Liu explained.

Ceconomy’s share price fell by 0.1 percent to €4.38 during trading on Monday, but analysts at LSEG still recommend buying. The median target price is exactly €4.6 – matching JD.com’s offer.