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Mattress drama: Large chain closes branches – 300 jobs at risk!
Mattresses Direct AG will close all branches by the end of 2025, including in Oldenburg. 300 jobs will be lost.
Mattress drama: Large chain closes branches – 300 jobs at risk!
Mattresses Direct AG is about to go out of business. As az-online.de reports, the large mattress retailer will cease operations at the end of 2025. The closure affects not only the 97 branches across the country, but also around 300 jobs, including the locations in Oldenburg and Achim.
Exactly a year ago, in March 2025, self-administration insolvency proceedings were filed in order to stabilize the economic situation and find a buyer. Despite intensive efforts and contact with over 44 potential buyers, the hoped-for success did not materialize: none of those interested decided to take over. The Hamburg company, which has been active under various names since 1929, is now over-indebted and has accumulated a deficit of over 29 million euros.
Economic challenges
The reasons for the economic decline are diverse. According to t-online.de, persistent inflation and uncertainties caused by the controversial heating law led to a noticeable reluctance to buy among customers. Mattresses Direct AG's sales amounted to 34.4 million euros in 2023, but a loss of 1.2 million euros was recorded.
The mattress industry as a whole is under pressure. Other providers such as the Emma brand and the Breckle Group are also struggling with similar challenges. This highlights the overall economic problems of the industry, which has suffered greatly from consumer purchasing behavior in recent years.
Look back
Historically, the company was founded in Cologne-Ossendorf in 1929. Originally operating as Bettina Federkernwerk, it was renamed to Märzen Factory Outlet AG (MFO) in 2004. In the following years, the company faced various challenges, including legal difficulties regarding its advertising practices in 2013 and an initial protective shield case in 2017, which resulted in the closure of several branches. Despite attempts at restructuring, the situation remained tense and the final liquidation is now pending.
The current sales in the MFO branches and in the online shop are already underway and should be completed by December 31, 2025 at the latest. The pressure on the mattress industry remains high, and many companies must adapt to changing market conditions in order to find a sustainable solution.
Interested customers therefore have little time left to benefit from the offers during the sales, while the future of the Märzen Direct AG brand is up in the air.