Germany's craft guild president Jörg Dittrich is pressing for the abolition of the Sunday baking ban that restricts bakers and confectioners from working on Sundays, arguing the rule is outdated and puts traditional bakeries at a disadvantage against supermarket chains.
Coalition leaders agreed in early July that revisions to working-time rules for bakeries would take effect on 1 January 2027. A draft amendment from the Labour Ministry, circulated in mid-June, would allow employees to work up to five hours producing baked goods and three hours on deliveries during Sundays and public holidays.
The Central Association of the German Bakery Trade criticised the proposal, warning it would create another special regulation that disadvantages competitors. Separately, the CDU, CSU and SPD committed in their coalition agreement to replacing daily maximum working-hour limits with a weekly framework.