dm-drogerie markt (usually abbreviated as dm) is a chain of retail stores headquartered in Karlsruhe, Germany, offering cosmetics, healthcare items, household products and health food and drinks. The company was founded in 1973, when it opened its first store in Karlsruhe.[2]
In its industry sector, dm-drogerie markt is Germany's largest retailer measured by revenues.[3] The company is known for its flat hierarchical structures and high level of social commitment. Götz Werner claimed that the well-being of employees is more important than the company's returns.[4]
dm has more than 79,700 people employed in more than 4,000[1] stores in twelve European countries. In the 1970s, dm only had outlets in Germany and Austria. In the 1990s, it opened stores in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Croatia. In the 2000s, the company expanded to Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Romania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Italy and Poland.[1]
In March 2017, for the first time in its history, dm-drogerie markt started selling to consumers outside Europe with an Alibaba Group's Tmall Global cross-border flagship store to China.[5] This expansion was initiated and is managed by a Shanghai-based Tmall Partner oddity Asia.
Figures for the number of stores in Europe as of 6 December 2022:[1]