Trail to Austria

Customs raid at the headquarters of sports giant Adidas

The Group logo on the company headquarters in Herzogenaurach

(Bild: AFP/Tobias SCHWARZ)

The sporting goods manufacturer Adidas is suspected of having evaded taxes when importing goods. The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) announced that customs duties and import sales tax were involved. According to the announcement, there are also traces to Austria.

On Tuesday evening, the world's second-largest sporting goods group confirmed a report by "Manager Magazin" that a search had been carried out at the company's headquarters in Herzogenaurach and other locations on Tuesday.

"It is suspected that a group of companies trading in sporting goods is involved in the evasion of import duties to the detriment of the EU budget," it said. 

According to the report, Bavarian tax investigators and customs officials visited Herzogenaurach, the plant in Scheinfeld, Franconia, and the logistics center in Rieste near Osnabrück.

Preliminary conflict climax
The dispute has been simmering for years. The period from October 2019 to August 2024 is affected, the company explained. "Adidas is cooperating with the authorities and providing the necessary documents and information."

It is about questions that have arisen "also due to different interpretations of German and European law". In any case, no major financial consequences are to be expected. Apparently Adidas has already made provisions.

Adidas hardly produces any goods in Germany. Most shoes and textiles are produced by contractors in Asian countries such as China, Vietnam and Bangladesh.