It is still scorching outside, but German shoppers are furious about Christmas products in stores: “It is unsettling”

German stores have begun putting Christmas treats on their shelves while temperatures in many parts of Europe still exceed 30 degrees, prompting an irritated response from shoppers.

Aldi Nord started selling traditional seasonal products including speculoos, gingerbread, stollen and dominoes. Kaufland has taken a similar approach, while Rewe already offers ingredients for vanilla crescents, chocolate biscuits and other holiday sweets.

The reaction was largely negative in an online t-online poll. More than half of the 7,308 participants, 50.9%, said they did not support selling Christmas products before November. Another 24.4% said seeing the products early in supermarkets and discount stores actually unsettled them. Only 5.5% considered the early availability entirely acceptable, saying shoppers who want to buy Christmas products early should have that option.

A separate YouGov survey showed that most consumers do not usually buy the products during summer. Among 2,021 respondents, 45% said they begin buying Christmas cookies in November and 20% wait until December. Only 4% buy them in August and 5% in September, while about 9% do not buy dominoes, speculoos or similar products at all.

Despite the recurring perception that Christmas products appear earlier each year, Rewe told t-online that this impression is not necessarily accurate. The retailer said public and media coverage often creates that feeling, even though it does not reflect the actual timing of sales.