Berlin is set to become the first German city to allow stores to stay open at any hour, with new rules taking effect this week that permit shopping 24 hours a day Monday through Saturday, plus limited Sunday hours on up to 10 days per year. The change follows a federal decision giving Germany's 16 states authority to set their own retail hours.
The shift is significant for a country where stores were required to close by 6:30 p.m. on weekdays just a decade ago. City officials, including Mayor Klaus Wowereit, hope the extended hours will stimulate Berlin's economy, which carries roughly 62 billion euros in debt.
Many retailers were caught off guard by how quickly the rules took effect and said they needed more time to renegotiate work schedules with employee representatives. Several major department stores, including Galeries Lafayette and Karstadt Wertheim, indicated they would wait until 1 December to extend their hours. Media retailer Dussmann moved faster, planning late-night hours and a celebratory event on Friday.
Church leaders and trade unions both criticized the changes. The head of the Evangelical Church in Germany condemned the senate's handling of the matter, while unions demanded additional pay for workers assigned to late or weekend shifts. Retail analysts expect stores to experiment gradually before settling on permanent schedules.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in November 2006, in its own words.