Germany weighs ending century‑old Sunday retail ban to boost economy

Germany’s economy is in a prolonged slump, with stagnant growth and weakening consumer confidence. Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government is considering reforms that would relax the century‑old “Sunday rest” rule, which currently restricts most retail to three‑hour opening windows for limited goods. Proposed measures include allowing bakeries and pastry shops to operate eight hours on Sundays, extending public library hours to six, and, if legislators agree, permitting full‑time supermarkets and department stores to open. Retail groups argue that Sunday trading would stimulate consumption and help recover jobs lost to trade disputes and post‑pandemic cost‑of‑living pressures, while opponents – including churches, unions and some state governments – warn that the tradition protects social cohesion and provides workers a day of rest. Similar seven‑day retail practices already exist in many European neighbours such as France, Italy and Spain, adding pressure on German authorities to modernise the rule. The debate reflects a broader attempt to revive Germany’s faltering economy through regulatory flexibility.