Zalando will close its logistics center in Erfurt by the end of September 2026. The company has stated that it has begun informing the 2,700 employees at the site about the decision. Zalando cites the realignment of its Europe-wide logistics network following the acquisition of About You in 2024 as the reason for the closure. Operations in Erfurt will continue unchanged until the final closure. (bild: 08.01.26)
Zalando negotiates social plan – what’s known so far
Operations will continue until the closure date, and according to the company, the center will initially operate unchanged. Employees at the site will receive information about the plans, according to the company. The timeline anticipates the closure of the Erfurt logistics center by the end of September 2026.
Zalando has not yet released any details regarding layoffs, transfers, or potential severance packages; these issues are part of the ongoing negotiations regarding a reconciliation of interests and a social plan. The works council is tasked with negotiating a framework for the reconciliation. This means that specific conditions for individual jobs remain open until the negotiations are concluded.
About You and the New Logistics Strategy
About You is a German online fashion retailer headquartered in Hamburg and is also one of the leading platforms in fashion e-commerce. Zalando justifies the closure in Erfurt with a realignment of its Europe-wide logistics network following the 2024 acquisition. The company aimed to strengthen its market position in online retail and reorganize its distribution through the deal.
Zalando expects to generate an additional €100 million in operating profit per year in the long term, while simultaneously reducing its external structures. The company will not renew contracts with external operators of three logistics locations abroad. This will allow the company to adjust network capacities and shift processes to other units.
Job Options and Statements from Top Management
Co-CEO David Schröder promised financial support, speaking of a “significant contribution.” The goal is for as many employees as possible to find new jobs. The company mentioned the Gießen location in Hesse, which is still under development, as an internal option.
For the workforce, the key question remains whether jobs will be secured through transfers to other locations, but the company has not yet released any figures on this. The online retailer is linking any potential offers to the agreement on compensation and the details of the social plan. Therefore, individual prospects depend on the outcome of these negotiations.
Verdi Criticism and the Significance of the Erfurt Location
The Verdi union sharply criticized the company’s approach, as it assesses the information situation differently than the company. Matthias Adorf, Verdi’s Thuringian union secretary, stated that the closure had been anticipated internally for months. However, employees were not informed “in order to safeguard the Christmas business.” This puts the timing of the communication in the spotlight for Verdi.
The Erfurt logistics center opened in 2012, yet it remains the only company-owned location of this size in Thuringia and in eastern Germany. The company operates other large centers in locations including Gießen, Lahr in the Black Forest, and Mönchengladbach. After the restructuring, the company plans to maintain 14 logistics centers across seven countries, consequently changing the role of individual locations within the network.