Wholesaler Metro opens its doors to all citizens - there is a catch, however

Metro is a popular contact point for business people and the self-employed.

During the corona lockdown, the wholesaler decides to take a special step.

• Metro Deutschland

  is

  changing its business model

  during the

  Corona lockdown

  *

  .

• The

  wholesaler

  no longer opens its doors only to

  traders

  and other

  self-employed

  .

• Instead, private individuals can now also

  shop

  at

  Metro

  .

  However, the measure only affects

  NRW

  .

• The

  retail trade

  should be relieved.

  In addition, the

  minimum distances are

  easier to keep.

Düsseldorf -

is the best known wholesaler in Germany for food in excess of the usual commercial quantities.

However,

the assortment has

long since ceased to be limited to

, but also consumer goods from the non-food sector.

This includes household appliances, clothing and kitchen appliances.

The

chain is generally not accessible to

normal

.

Usually only traders and other self-employed persons in possession of a corresponding card have the opportunity to stock up on utensils at Metro.

Metro: Because of Corona, not only traders are allowed to buy from wholesalers

However, this maxim has been

deviated

from due to

: The trading company, whose predecessor was founded in Essen in the 1960s, is also opening its range to everyone else.

The catch: The measure currently only affects the "domestic" state of

, where the main headquarters in Düsseldorf is also located.

Another reason: Apart from the fact that the “home base” is in North Rhine-Westphalia, it is also the most populous federal state.

Lots of space, a wide range, maximum hygiene and thus reliable shopping opportunities for the region: from Tuesday our 18 METRO wholesale stores in North Rhine-Westphalia will open to everyone!

The basis is the change in use of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the opening is initially until Nov. 30 / kw pic.twitter.com/eLNrpB80yo

- METRO Germany (@METRO_DE) October 31, 2020

Now

all residents can shop

in the

without showing a customer card.

The campaign will run until the end of the month (November 30th) and should relieve the retail trade.

The wholesaler justifies its decision to open up to private customers with "rectifying the number of customers in the run-up to Christmas".

Metro measure in NRW: Solidarity action or rather means to an end?

However, there is a aftertaste: The retail trade is likely to be skeptical of the offer: After all, due to the

at Metro, many traders will disappear - this inevitably results in a

.

The expansion to private customers should therefore be a measure to counteract this.

The goods giant is repeatedly confronted with accusations that it is serving private customers and thus attacking the sales model of retailers.

In addition, due to the pandemic, many companies are threatened with bankruptcy anyway.

In spring, the company opened

its department stores in North

to

all shoppers

due to the

.

But it did not stop there: in

,

too

, the Metro offers were available to everyone.

In Austria, Metro even opened all branches nationwide - also because the minimum clearances are easier to maintain in large department stores than in conventional supermarkets:

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