Retailers Demand Sunday Openings for All Stores After Bakery Expansion

German bakeries and confectioneries are set to gain extended Sunday operating hours, a move that has prompted broader calls from retail associations to open all shops on Sundays. The federal government has announced plans to allow these businesses to operate up to eight hours on Sundays and holidays, aligning them with sectors like hospitals and restaurants.

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Shopping is also a leisure experience. Therefore, we advocate for Sunday openings in retail to keep city centers attractive and lively.

This development has fueled demands from the retail sector for similar flexibility. Stefan Genth, managing director of the German Retail Association (HDE), told the Bild newspaper that Sunday shopping is a leisure activity crucial for maintaining lively city centers. He criticized existing regulations, stating, "In the online age, this is from the day before yesterday." The HDE advocates for allowing Sunday openings to keep urban areas attractive.

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In the online age, this is from the day before yesterday.

The push for extended Sunday hours comes as political parties are discussing labor time reforms. While a broader flexibilization of working hours has been postponed, the decision regarding bakeries signals a shift. Nils Busch-Petersen, director of the Berlin-Brandenburg Retail Association, sees this as an opportunity. "We should finally take a step forward and leave Sunday to the discretion of merchants and customers," he stated, highlighting the legal penalties for selling items like shirts on a Sunday in Germany.

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We should finally take a step forward and leave Sunday to the discretion of merchants and customers.

Regional differences in current regulations underscore the complexity of the issue. For instance, bakers in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg are permitted three hours of Sunday work, while in North Rhine-Westphalia, it's five hours. Businesses with a café section often leverage loopholes in the restaurant law to operate more flexibly. Saxony's trade association head, René Glaser, also called for a legal overhaul, noting that current requirements for Sunday openings are often unclear and difficult for municipalities to approve legally.

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Whoever sells a shirt in Germany on Sunday is committing a criminal offense. That is from the day before yesterday in the online age.