Kika/Leiner bankruptcy: 1,350 jobs away - what happens to the customers?

Kika/Leiner bankruptcy: 1,350 jobs away - what happens to the customers?

The Austrian furniture chain Kika/Leiner is in front of the final one: the renovation, which was already initiated in November 2024, has failed and the company has registered bankruptcy. This has far-reaching consequences: As a result, the existing 17 branches will be closed, and around 1,350 employees will lose their jobs, such as the press reported. The withdrawal of the renovation plan came as a surprise to many observers, since Kika/Leiner had previously tried to restructure the business without self -administration.

In the current situation, the existing inventory is sold, the insolvency administrator Volker Leitner said. Customers must now worry about their open orders and down payments. Part of these payments could possibly be asserted as claims in the bankruptcy proceedings due to down payment guarantees. However, Leitner pointed out that many customers had already complained and that there were numerous relatives of hardship cases among the injured. It is checked which customer orders can still be met in accordance with the insolvency law provisions and a final clarification should take place by the end of this week, so Exxpress .

The consequences for the market

The failure of the renovation of Kika/Leiner shows the continuing challenges in furniture trade. The company has been fighting financial difficulties since 2013, had experienced several changes of ownership and had to close numerous branches. After an attempt to find a new investor in 2023, Kika/Leiner ultimately only remained the bankruptcy and closure of all remaining locations. Experts are concerned that the market concentration in the furniture industry will continue to increase, since companies such as XXXLutz and Ikea already have high market shares. According to Regiodata, XXXLutz has 34 percent, followed by Ikea with 19 percent, while Kika/Leiner recently had a market share of 13 percent.