The German government plans to extend Sunday operating hours for bakeries, confectioneries, and bookshops starting in 2027, easing rules that currently limit bakery sales to just three hours on Sundays and public holidays.
The proposal has drawn sharp division. The Central Association of German Retail Trade has called for unrestricted Sunday openings, backed by the German Economic Institute and the German Institute for Economic Research. Retail leaders argue Sunday trading is essential to keeping city centres attractive and have called for dropping the requirement that openings be tied to specific events. The Verdi trade union opposes the changes, warning they would harm workers and small businesses.
Public appetite appears to be growing. A YouGov poll of 4,022 respondents found 43% support more frequent Sunday openings, up from 34% a year earlier, though half of respondents remain opposed.