Saturn Shrinks: Media Industry Expands Its Reach Across Multiple Sectors

In several urban German locales, Saturn electronics stores are being shut down to make way for Media Markt expansions, leading to speculation about the potential demise of the Saturn brand.

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2025 June 10 . 9:40 PM

2 min read

Retail locations of electronics chain Saturn are shutting down in numerous German cities, with... — Retail locations of electronics chain Saturn are shutting down in numerous German cities, with Media Markt taking over. Could Saturn be vanishing from the market?

Saturn Shrinks: Media Industry Expands Its Reach Across Multiple Sectors

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The Shift: From Saturn to Media Markt in German Cities

By: Lars-Eric Nievelstein

The Lowdown

First, a surprise for shoppers: in some German cities, the familiar Saturn sign is gone, replaced by the bold Media Markt logo. From Neuss and Hilden to Cologne and Aachen, the changeover is underway.

As Online-marketplaces grow, people's preferences for electronics stores are blurring. Ceconomy, the parent company of Media Markt and Saturn, recognizes this shift and is investing in the "further development and modernization" of their markets[1]. Already, the number of Media Markt branches has surpassed 300, a increase coming from the conversion of Saturn stores.

Saturn: A Strategy Don't Discard

Ceconomy didn't deliver exact figures on the remaining Saturn stores or the number of conversions to come. Yet, the Saturn brand isn't fading out. In fact, Saturn will continue to play a vital role in the company's strategy[1].

What's in it for the customer? Products across both brands are surprisingly similar, with identical offers and advertisements[1]. Next week, the loyalty programs will be merged, allowing customers to collect and redeem points at either store. Those points earned before the merge will be automatically combined.

A Long-Standing Partnership

European countries now mostly carry the Media Markt brand. In recent years, Saturn stores in countries like Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Poland have been either closed down or converted to Media Markt stores[1]. Ceconomy now boasts over 1,000 stores across 11 countries[1].

The first Saturn branch opened in Cologne in 1961, and the first Media Markt in Munich in 1979. In 1990, Media Markt acquired its competitor Saturn, later merging under the same umbrella as Metro AG, eventually becoming part of Ceconomy in 2017[1].

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[1] Media Markt and Saturn united for over 30 years, offering more than 1000 branches in 11 countries (dpa)

The shift in the industry, driven by the growth of online marketplaces, has led Ceconomy to invest in the further development and modernization of their finance sector, which includes both Media Markt and Saturn businesses.
With the merger of loyalty programs, customers can now collect and redeem points at either Media Markt or Saturn stores, demonstrating the continued importance of the Saturn brand in the business strategy of Ceconomy.