Expanded shopping hours now available in Bamberg due to new closure regulations
New Bavarian Shop Closing Law Offers Flexibility for Late-Night Shopping in Bamberg
As of August 1st, 2025, retailers in Bamberg, Germany, can take advantage of the new Bavarian Shop Closing Law, which introduces new freedoms for businesses to hold late-night shopping events. The law requires municipalities, including Bamberg, to issue their own Regulations for the specific implementation of the new law.
Under the new regulations, municipalities in Bavaria can allow up to eight late-night shopping events on weekdays per year. These events can take place from 8 pm to midnight, and retailers have the choice of which days to open. However, certain religious holidays such as Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Holy Saturday, Good Friday, Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve, and the days before Pentecost Sunday, All Saints' Day, Remembrance Day, and All Souls' Day are excluded from these events.
The Regulations may also permit unstaffed small supermarkets to open on Sundays and holidays, and regional goods shops in tourist areas may be allowed to open for up to 40 Sundays a year, each for eight hours. The Regulations will cover aspects like general shopping nights, unstaffed small supermarkets opening on Sundays and holidays, and selling regional goods in tourist areas.
Retailers in Bamberg are encouraged to register their planned late-night shopping events with the Bamberg Ordnungsamt by sending an email to [email protected]. Registration and information for a workshop hosted by the Economic Development Agency on August 11th can be obtained by email at [email protected] or by phone at 0951/87-1313.
During the workshop, the Economic Development Agency will discuss the implementation of the new Shop Closing Law in Bamberg and seek input from local retailers on aspects not covered by the current law. The results of the workshop will be incorporated into the draft of the Bamberg Regulation, which the administration will submit to the city council for further consultation and decision in September.
Retailers must notify the municipality at least two weeks in advance of their planned late-night shopping events. It is essential to note that the new Bavarian law does not affect the regular shop hours from 6 am to 8 pm on weekdays.
The new Bavarian Shop Closing Law aims to boost retail sales and attract more customers while ensuring compliance with labor laws on working hours and adherence to regulatory constraints. For precise provisions and effects of the new Bavarian Shop Closing Law in Bamberg, consulting official Bavarian government or Bamberg municipal websites or legal texts released in 2025 would be necessary.
- In line with the new Bavarian Shop Closing Law, various retail sectors, such as finance and industry, can potentially benefit from extended shopping hours in Bamberg, given the law's focus on boosting retail sales.
- Under the new Bamberg Regulations, there's a possibility for retail businesses, like supermarkets and regional goods shops, to exploit new opportunities for late-night shopping events, especially during touristic seasons.
