Germany-based Metro ceases Japan operations

Its wholesale business has suffered from an unfavourable market position.

Germany-based wholesale business, Metro, is ceasing its operations for all 10 of its stores and delivery service in Japan by the end of October, the company announced in a news release.

The company explained that an unfavourable market position coupled with an increasingly competitive landscape has limited the company’s growth potential, putting weight on its profitability. 

“Metro Japan has been under pressure for quite some time. We finally made the decision that we do not see the opportunity to achieve necessary scale in Japan and, thus, to reach our profitability targets and sustainable growth in sales,” Metro CEO Steffen Greubel.

Metro Japan said that it will assist its estimated 1,200 employees through the transition in a fair manner and act fully in line with employer practice standards.

Meanwhile, the Japanese operations of Classic Fine Foods, the foodservice distribution specialist of Metro, are not affected by this decision.