Question mark hangs over Luxembourg's Schlecker stores

(JB) German drugstore chain Schlecker has not denied that it may close stores in Luxembourg.

The series of stores announced earlier this month that it would close between 500 and 800 branches in Germany because of growing competition from rivals.

However, when quizzed on whether Luxembourg stores would be affected, the group said only that there would be “no significant changes.”

Chain spokesman Patrick Hacker told the Wort.lu/en: “Luxembourg is a very important and brilliantly running market for Schlecker. Thus, there are no plans for significant changes in Luxembourg.”

The statement leaves space for doubt that Schlecker may make further announcements in coming months about Luxembourg as it faces increasing financial challenges.

Schlecker currently has 11,000 branches across Europe, of which 8,300 are located in Germany. This figure has already fallen compared with recent years despite the fact that in 2004 it announced plans to open 500 more branches.

According to the national German press, Germany has seen the rise of a number of successful drug store chains offering a larger choice. Schlecker bases its success on the fact it sells a large range of products, from dog food, to make-up and groceries, at a reduced price.

This year, Schlecker announced plans to modernise from 240 to 400 different branches in a bid to improve business.