Konsum (East Germany)
Konsum within the VDK by designer Karl Thewalt for the "Verband Deutscher Konsumgenossenschaften (VDK) der DDR" | |
| Company type | Co-op |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail, restaurants, grocery stores |
| Founded | 1945 |
| Headquarters | |
Area served | former East Germany |
Konsum (German pronunciation: [ˈkɔnzʊm]) is a cooperative retail chain founded in 1945 by the Soviet Military Administration in occupied East Germany. It consisted of grocery stores, retail markets, industrial plants, and restaurants, and was a direct competitor to the Handelsorganisation.
After German reunification in 1990, Konsum was not dissolved, as it was not a state-owned enterprise like Handelsorganisation. Today, it exists in limited capacity, mostly as a real estate management cooperative.