EIN: Shopping in Germany

Shopping in Germany

To anyone accustomed to shopping in America, going shopping in German-speaking countries will come as a surprise, perhaps even a shock. Above all, the American expectation of 24/7 shopping possibilities must quickly be forgotten in Germany due to the strongly regulated Ladenschlussgesetz (store business hours law) which prohibits sale of goods on Sunday and after 6 pm during weekdays* in most areas.

*Variations of this law exist throughout Germany, with many cities having longer shopping hours past 6 pm on Thursdays and extended hours on at least one Saturday per month, but shopping on Sunday remains forbidden.  

Read the Geschäftszeiten (business hours) in the image below from a German fish monger. Note the two hour break for lunch on Tuesday and Wednesday, a practice quite common in much of Europe. Indeed, many privately owned shops in Europe have a daily one or two hour Mittagspause.

Practice Activity

Thought Question

What do you think you would do if you ran out of something important on a Sunday in Germany?

The answer: in general, you would wait until Monday! Say you ran out of fresh milk on Sunday. If so, then you are mostly out of luck. However, you could go to a gas or train station where fresh goods can be sold on Sundays.