Zalando cuts jobs in Berlin again – around 200 positions affected

The company merely stated that the measures were part of a restructuring announced some time ago. "As we have been communicating transparently for some time, we are working on being able to respond more quickly to market changes through more agile and focused structures and to seize the enormous opportunities for further growth that present themselves to us," Zalando said. According to Zalando, these measures also include mutual termination agreements. According to the company, however, this does not involve dismissals.

Zalando emphasized that the termination agreements were based on the principle of double voluntariness. Both employer and employee would have to agree voluntarily. As recently as last year, Zalando had cut around 450 jobs in Berlin – following a restructuring of customer service. According to Zalando's plans, some of these employees were to be rehired in the summer.

Expansion in Bucharest, closure in Erfurt

Independent of the current cuts, the company points out that a new site is currently being set up in the Romanian capital Bucharest. "In the longer term, we plan to relocate certain positions and processes to Bucharest and to create additional jobs there," Zalando stated. The creation of 60 positions is planned there by the first quarter of the following year, Zalando added. According to the company, the new office in Bucharest is scheduled to open at the end of the current year.

Back in January, Zalando had announced the closure of its Erfurt site. The reason is the realignment of the group's Europe-wide logistics network following the takeover of About You. Despite protests from the works council, trade unions, the workforce, and criticism from, among others, the Thuringian state government, the internet fashion retailer is sticking to the decision announced in January.

The Erfurt location, which still has around 2,100 employees, is to be closed by the end of September. This brings the announced job cuts at Zalando in Germany to several hundred positions within a short period of time, while the company is simultaneously expanding its presence in Romania.

Market reactions and analyst ratings

The news was received differently on the stock market. The Zalando share gained 1.9 percent at times in XETRA trading, to 28.44 euros. On June 30, 2026, Deutsche Bank AG had rated Zalando with "Buy"; on July 2, 2026, Jefferies & Company Inc. also rated the stock with "Buy." JP Morgan Chase & Co. issued a "Neutral" rating on the same day, and Bernstein Research rated it "Market-Perform" on July 10, 2026.

Strategic context of the restructuring

The reports about the renewed job cuts come amid a phase in which Zalando is increasingly focusing on cost discipline and a leaner administration. With the takeover of About You, the company had expanded its business; at the same time, pressure is mounting to streamline processes and eliminate duplicate structures. The relocation of activities to Bucharest is part of this strategy.

The fashion trade has been exposed to fierce competition for months. Providers such as Zalando are under pressure to improve their margins and respond more quickly to trends. Personnel costs at the expensive German locations are an obvious lever – even though the cuts among employees draw criticism.

Employee representatives had already warned of further cuts in the capital in connection with the Erfurt closure. The current reports are likely to further intensify the debate about the future of Zalando's workforce in Germany. Observers expect that negotiations over termination agreements will gain momentum in the coming weeks.