First supermarket chain wants shorter opening hours for all of Germany – union applauds

Created: 09/20/2022, 18:10

By: Oliver Schmitz

Energy crisis: Tegut is talking about shorter opening hours for supermarkets.

The role model should be Bavaria.

Supermarkets there close at 8 p.m.

Fulda – In the wake of the energy crisis, the food industry is under enormous pressure.

Supermarkets and discounters could also have problems as a result.

In order to save energy in the wake of rising electricity and gas costs, the Tegut supermarket chain has called for shorter opening times for the branch.

In a letter to the 16 state governments, Managing Director Thomas Gutberlet suggested reducing them for three months - and that across Germany.

A company spokesman explained this to 24RHEIN from IPPEN.MEDIA.

Tegut calls for shorter opening hours: supermarkets only open until 8 p.m.?

According to Tegut's idea, the supermarket opening times in the coming months should be based "on the example of Bavaria".

In concrete terms, this means that grocery stores should not be open after 8 p.m.

In numerous other federal states such as North Rhine-Westphalia, supermarkets are allowed to open until midnight.

Overview of shop opening hours in the federal states

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Baden-Württemberg, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein

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Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

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Thuringia

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Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony

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Bavaria, Saarland

"It's an impetus that we wanted to give.

The energy crisis was the trigger for this,” says a company spokesman.

The first thing to do is how the industry can contribute to saving energy.

With its mini branches, Tegut is currently pursuing a completely opposite concept.

The "Teo" markets are open 24 hours a day, they work without staff.

In principle, however, Tegut would like to use the proposal to initiate a general debate about shorter opening hours for grocery stores.

The idea: to make the industry more attractive again.

According to a company spokesman, there is a growing personnel problem.

With more attractive working hours, it is hoped that more applications will come again.

According to Tegut, it is also about the issue of sustainability, as this would conserve resources – even after the energy crisis.

Shorter supermarket opening hours: Verdi supports Tegut's proposal

Tegut has not yet spoken to other supermarket chains about the shorter opening hours.

(Iconic image) © Ute Grabowsky/photothek.de/Imago

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Tegut initiated the demand for shorter opening hours completely independently.

Accordingly, there has not yet been an exchange with other companies such as Rewe, Aldi, Lidl, and Co. However, an Edeka retailer had recently demanded in the

that the long opening hours had to be "reconsidered".

The Verdi union takes a clear position on request.

"Basically, of course, we are in favor of it," says a spokesman to 24RHEIN.

The employee organization has been campaigning for shorter opening times for “more than 20 years”.

According to a Verdi spokesman, the "cut-throat competition" in the city centers is "growing," which is why Tegut's proposal is supported.

However, Verdi would like to publish a larger statement on the subject in the near future.

Shorten supermarket opening times: federal states have not yet reacted

And what does politics say?

Nothing yet.

Because Tegut, according to its own statements, has not yet received an answer to the letter from any state government and thus the proposal for shorter opening hours.

And this despite the fact that it was already sent at the end of August.

Food industry warns: Due to the energy crisis, there is a risk of empty supermarket shelves

Food manufacturers in particular are struggling with rising electricity and gas prices.

"Thousands of companies" are now even threatened with the end, the Association of the Food Industry (VdEW) recently warned.

If the worst case were to happen, many supermarket shelves would remain empty.

Either way, food prices are already rising rapidly.

The content of this text was updated on September 20 at 2:54 p.m.

Innovation: statement by Verdi.