The Bundeskartellamt, Germany's competition authority, has granted clearance for BAUHAUS AG to acquire eight locations from the insolvent HELLWEG Die Profi-Bau- & Gartenmärkte GmbH & Co. KG. This decision was made during a preliminary review process.

Andreas Mundt, President of the Bundeskartellamt, stated that the merger poses no competitive concerns. He emphasized that customers in the regions surrounding the eight HELLWEG locations have adequate alternative options through other hardware and specialty stores.

HELLWEG previously operated 113 hardware and garden markets under the HELLWEG and BayWa Bau & Garten brands across Germany. The stores are primarily located in the Rhine-Ruhr area, Berlin, and southern Germany. An insolvency procedure was initiated for HELLWEG in June 2026.

BAUHAUS is one of the leading hardware store chains in Germany, with approximately 290 locations in Germany and other European countries. The acquisition involves the lease agreements for the eight HELLWEG locations situated in Backnang, Beckum, Berlin-Köpenick, Dahlwitz-Hoppegarten, Dortmund-Hacheney, Essen-Rellinghausen, Iserlohn, and Potsdam.

The relevant competitive markets were defined based on actual customer demand behavior, which was assessed through customer card data and surveys. It was found that the catchment areas of hardware stores vary depending on store size, population density, and transport links, rather than being fixed radii.