Bitter balance: Nuremberg retailers have to cope with catastrophic Christmas business

Created: 12/30/2021, 6:00 PM

Retailers complain of lost sales due to the corona requirements.

(Symbol picture) © Daniel Bockwoldt / dpa / dpa-tmn

The corona pandemic spoiled the Christmas business for many Nuremberg retailers again this year.

They experienced severe sales losses.

Nuremberg - Corona and no end: The Christmas business in 2021 was again a disaster for retailers in downtown Nuremberg.

One of them is Harald Lehmeier.

He has a menswear shop and Advent is usually the best time of the year for him.

Usually.

“The Christmas business was very bumpy, to say the least.

Thank goodness, I have my regular customers, ”he complains in an interview with the BR.

Without her he would have had to close his business. 

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Nuremberg retailers are suffering from Corona: Customers are afraid of being infected 

The 2G regulation made it possible for him to open his shop during Advent. However, that was only a small consolation in view of the weak sales months before. Many of his customers no longer dare to go into town for fear of being infected with the corona virus, says Lehmeier. Business with tourists had collapsed anyway.

It looks better for a household goods store in downtown Nuremberg.

Thanks to the 2G regulation, the Christmas business went reasonably well.

However, the entry controls caused additional costs: around 15 to 20 percent.

And with that, business is still in good shape.

Many stores suffered a drop in sales of 30 percent or more compared to normal Christmas sales.

Many retailers are threatened with extinction, fears Klaus Harl, owner of Losch kitchens and member of the trade association in Nuremberg.

Without a normal Christmas business, they would lack perspective.

Online trading is booming - the winners of the pandemic

One of the lesser winners of the corona pandemic is online retail.

According to the Bavarian Trade Association, it has increased by over 20 percent.

A small ray of hope: around a third of Bavarian retailers also sell their goods over the Internet.

This is not an option for Harald Lehmeier.

But he sees himself as a "stand-up man" and hopes for an improvement in the situation.