German Retailers Reject Timid Sunday Opening Reform, Demand Full Deregulation to Fight Online Rivals
Published on 07/06/2026 at 08:04 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
Germany’s retail industry has poured scorn on a government proposal to relax Sunday trading bans only for bakeries and libraries, calling the plan a half-measure that fails to address the existential threat from Chinese e-commerce platforms. Trade associations are now demanding a complete abolition of Sunday restrictions across all sectors — a move that would put them on a collision course with the powerful ver.di service union.
The draft legislation, tabled by the Federal Ministry of Labour on 1 July 2026, would allow bakeries and confectioneries to open for up to eight hours on Sundays from 1 January 2027. Libraries could operate for a maximum of six hours. But retailers argue the logic is inconsistent: if a customer can buy a croissant, why not a pair of shoes?
“Consumers increasingly see shopping as a leisure experience, and current rules fly in the face of that trend,” said Stefan Genth, managing director of the German Retail Federation (HDE). He warned that piecemeal regulation hands an unfair advantage to online platforms that face no time restrictions.
The industry points to staggering losses as the price of inaction. According to association data, brick-and-mortar stores lose roughly €2.5 billion in annual sales to Chinese online competitors alone — a drain that has already eliminated 40,000 jobs in the sector. Nils Busch-Petersen, head of the Berlin-Brandenburg retail association, called the current legal situation “contradictory”. He argued that the decision on Sunday trading should rest with “merchants and customers, not politicians”.
Practical hurdles compound the problem. René Glaser of the Saxony retail association noted that under existing rules, securing legally watertight permits for special Sunday openings is nearly impossible. “What the trade needs is a comprehensive legislative overhaul that provides planning certainty,” he said.
Resistance from ver.di remains the main political obstacle. Retail representatives accuse the union of blocking overdue liberalisation, warning that without a swift adaptation to modern shopping habits and the online threat, many town centres face a bleak future. The current coalition agreement only covers craft businesses linked to gastronomy and educational institutions. If the draft becomes law unchanged, the extended hours will take effect at the start of 2027. Whether the government expands the scope remains an open question — but retailers are making it clear that half-measures are no longer acceptable.
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