The rush of customers was so great in Munich on the last weekend of Advent that the retailers were rejoicing.
Industry experts expect further sales peaks in the last few days until Christmas.
Key industry representatives agree: "Christmas business is going better than many feared." After four Saturdays in Advent, both Bernd Ohlmann from the Bavarian Retail Association (HBE) and Wolfgang Fischer, Managing Director of the Munich retail association CityPartner, drew a positive balance on Sunday.
On Saturday the rush in the pedestrian zone was so great that people pushed more than walked.
Munich: Falling temperatures and snow increased the desire to buy
For Munich, the HBE expects sales of 2.2 billion euros in the Christmas business - an increase of five percent compared to the previous year.
According to Ohlmann, 350 million euros of this is attributable to online trading.
Numbers that are ten to 15 percent lower than the pre-corona level.
"It's not 2019 yet," explains Fischer.
However, this was not to be expected due to the underlying conditions – inflation and energy prices.
According to industry spokespersons, the onset of winter played into the hands of retailers: Falling temperatures and snow increased the desire to buy.
The stationary retail trade benefits from this.
"The online business lost at a very high level this year," explains Ohlmann.
According to industry representatives, vouchers are number one for customers.
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There are still six days left in the Christmas business.
On Christmas Eve, the shops are open until 2 p.m.
Ohlmann knows: "There's another rattle in the box." At the last minute it's mainly men who go shopping.
That has been statistically proven.
(Klaus Vick)