German Retail Association Renews Push for Flexible Sunday Store Openings

HDE President Alexander von Preen calls for legal reforms to allow businesses and municipalities to independently decide on Sunday operations, reigniting debates with unions and churches.

• Alexander von Preen, President of the German Retail Association (HDE), has reiterated his demand for greater flexibility in Sunday store openings across Germany.
• Von Preen specifically criticized the requirement that Sunday openings must be tied to specific occasions, calling for the removal of this restriction nationwide.
• The HDE argues that businesses and municipalities should have the autonomy to decide on Sunday operations based on local needs, without a federally mandated cap on the number of openings.
• Opponents, including Gewerkschaft Verdi and churches, continue to resist expanded Sunday openings, citing concerns over labor rights and societal impacts.
• Von Preen warns that without reforms, economic pressures on city centers will intensify, with 4,500 store closures expected in Germany this year.

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