Merkel calls for solution to save German supermarket chain of 8,000

GERMAN Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday stepped up pressure on the nations leading supermarket chains to find a compromise to save up to 8,000 jobs.

This has threatened in a long-running battle over their smaller rival, Kaiser’s Tengelmann group.

Talks between supermarket groups Edeka, Rewe Markant and Norma, over hammering out a solution to the crisis that has engulfed Kaiser’s Tengelmann collapsed last week.

This has resulted in the group’s owners announcing plans to proceed with breaking up the firm.

“More than half of Kaiser’s Tengelmann’s total workforce of 15,000 is threatened by the company’s breakup plans,’’ the group said.

Merkel’s spokesman Steffen Seibert said that the companies should not leave anything untried in seeking to reach a consensus that is the interests of those affected.

He said that the chancellor backed the appeal from Minister for Economic Affairs, Sigmar Gabriel for the companies to find a viable solution to the Kaiser’s crisis and not to break off the negotiations.

“This included the possibility of appointing a conciliator to help oversee the talks, Gabriel said.