Kaufland online marketplace pushes to become Europe’s alternative to Amazon, Temu and Shein
Kaufland online marketplace ramps up European expansion, using in-store data, AI and stricter seller controls to compete with Amazon and low-cost Chinese rivals.
Kaufland’s online marketplace is aiming for a major push across Europe as the Schwarz Group seeks to turn its digital platform into a credible alternative to Amazon and fast-growing Chinese discount platforms. The Kaufland online marketplace is leveraging data from its grocery stores, loyalty programme integration and heavy tech investment to sharpen offers and drive growth. Executives insist the strategy blends legal compliance, product safety and local data stewardship to win customer trust and market share.
Executive strategy and data advantage
Gerald Schönbucher, who heads Kaufland’s online operations, frames the platform’s expansion as a measured bid to outcompete low-cost rivals by playing to European strengths. He highlights the integration between Kaufland’s brick-and-mortar network and its loyalty programme as a unique asset, allowing customers to earn and redeem points across channels. That linkage supplies the marketplace with granular purchasing data the company uses to tailor assortment and marketing, giving Kaufland a potential edge over pure-play foreign entrants.
Schönbucher stresses compliance as a strategic differentiator, arguing the platform will succeed through lawful business practices and stricter seller oversight. The approach is pitched as an alternative to marketplaces accused of flouting EU rules, with Kaufland promising tighter controls on product safety and seller conduct. The platform has set up teams to monitor suppliers and remove offers that fail to meet safety or regulatory standards.
Growth patterns: stronger abroad than at home
Kaufland’s online marketplace has shown uneven growth across markets, recording nearly double-digit gains across Europe while struggling to match that pace in Germany. Regional statistics point to modest increases in Kaufland’s home market, where Amazon’s dominance—more than 60 percent market share in local e-commerce—remains a major barrier. By contrast, Kaufland has seen rapid expansion in several Central and Eastern European countries, where Amazon is less entrenched.
Poland is the sharpest example: after launching in August 2024, the marketplace posted very strong year-on-year growth during 2025, while established operations in the Czech Republic and Slovakia also delivered double-digit expansion. Those markets are central to Kaufland’s plan to secure top positions where local dynamics make Amazon’s hegemony less formidable.
Profitability and market ranking
Company figures indicate that while the global marketplace did not post profits across every country in 2025, the wider online business returned to profitability in the current year. The platform’s gross merchandise volume placed it among the larger European marketplaces, but it has slipped in some rankings compared with previous years. Industry indices show Kaufland remains among the top ten online marketplaces in Europe by sales value, yet its position fell relative to faster-growing competitors.
Schönbucher describes the results as encouraging but realistic, acknowledging that Kaufland is unlikely to dislodge Amazon in Germany soon. He frames success in terms of steady, above-industry growth and better performance in markets where local competition is weaker.
Competition with low-cost Chinese platforms
A central tension in Kaufland’s strategy is coexistence with Chinese sellers. The company accepts that many low-cost suppliers from China offer price-performance that customers value, and it plans to keep such sellers on the platform when they meet rules. At the same time, Kaufland is committed to identifying and excluding vendors that repeatedly breach safety or regulatory requirements.
To enforce standards, Kaufland maintains monitoring capabilities—reportedly including a team focused on supplier vetting in China—and applies immediate takedowns and bans for systematic violations. The stated aim is to combine broad assortment and competitive pricing with stronger consumer protections than some discount marketplaces provide.
Technology bets: AI, cloud and partnerships
The Schwarz Group has invested heavily in artificial intelligence and its own cloud infrastructure as part of the marketplace’s long-term play. Kaufland’s parent has built a cloud offering, Stackit, and acquired AI capabilities intended to power personalized recommendations, fraud detection and a potential on-platform AI adviser for shoppers. Proponents argue that such technology can create tangible customer benefits and help the marketplace scale across jurisdictions.
Despite ambitions to reduce reliance on major US cloud providers, Kaufland has maintained commercial ties with Google for certain services. Company representatives say customer data on buying behaviour is stored on German servers and that partnerships will not compromise user privacy, with a gradual migration to in-house cloud systems a stated objective.
Industry reaction and scepticism
Market veterans and analysts are divided on how far Kaufland can go. Some observers, including former marketing executives from price comparison platforms, see Kaufland’s positioning on data protection and digital sovereignty as necessary but insufficient to persuade large swathes of consumers. They argue that convenience, price and selection will determine winners, and those advantages currently favor established global players and ultra‑low‑cost entrants.
Other digital experts are more optimistic, noting that integrated omnichannel data, ongoing investments in AI and a disciplined seller policy could create a differentiated European proposition. If Kaufland can deliver better product safety, transparent seller practices and useful AI-driven shopping tools, it may become the leading homegrown alternative to the dominant global platforms.
Kaufland’s push is a long-term gamble across multiple fronts: marketing, regulatory compliance, technological build‑out and cross-border logistics. The company’s next challenge will be converting rapid growth in selected markets into durable customer habits while keeping prices competitive and standards high.
