Shelf Life Law - Church accuses government of Sunday protection violation
The Catholic Church criticizes the planned moderate relaxations of shop opening hours in Bavaria, specifically the round-the-clock opening possibility for digital small supermarkets, even on Sundays. In such mini-markets without personnel, customers have to retrieve their own goods and pay at self-scanner checkouts.
It is not enough that these can operate without personnel, says Matthias Belafi, head of the Catholic Office in Bavaria, in a recent statement: "Your business in itself disturbs the protection of Sundays." He criticized that Bavaria in particular wants to weaken the Sunday protection.
The Catholic Church thus criticizes not only that digital small supermarkets can open round the clock in principle, but that they can offer the full range of products and up to 150 square meters of floor space. The specific time frame for Sunday openings should be determined by the respective municipalities, but there should be a minimum opening time of eight hours.
Few shop opening relaxation plans
The cabinet recently adopted key points for its own Bavarian Shop Closing Law. The free state intends to uphold its strict shop opening hours up to 8:00 pm at the latest. Selling days, Sundays and holidays, are still only allowed four times a year – and only on occasion, such as markets or similar events.
The only relaxations, besides the new possibilities for digital small supermarkets: Communities will be able to offer eight long shopping nights a year without a specific occasion. Retailers can also have an additional four working days a year open later than 8:00 pm.
The Catholic Office in Bavaria welcomes the fact that general working hours are not being extended and that for limited selling days, a reason is still required. However, the rules regarding the Sunday opening of digital small supermarkets are unsatisfactory - we hope for improvements in the legislative process regarding Sunday protection.
"Conflicts with the significance of religious and cultural roots"
In other states, small supermarkets may not be larger than 120 square meters, and only the sale of daily necessities is allowed. It is regrettable that Bavaria wants to weaken the Sunday protection more than other states. "This contradicts not only the - otherwise emphasized - significance of the religious and cultural roots of Bavaria," the Catholic Office in Bavaria criticizes. The protection of Sundays serves not only for rest and thus the protection of employees, but it is "a cultural asset".
Even if there is no personnel: continuously open markets lend their surroundings "a character of restlessness, busyness and everydayness, which no longer guarantees the peaceful character of Sundays", criticizes the Catholic Office in Bavaria. For an exception regulation, stricter limits would be necessary.
The Catholic Church in Bavaria expresses concern about the impact of the proposed extended opening times for digital small supermarkets on the future of Sunday protection. These markets, even if they operate without personnel, could have a shelf life law that disrupts the tranquility of Sundays, according to Matthias Belafi.
Germany's law on retail opening times in Bavaria is currently under review, and while it maintains strict shopping hours, it also allows communities to organize eight long shopping nights per year without a specific occasion. This relaxation is viewed as unsatisfactory by the Catholic Office in Bavaria, particularly when it comes to the opening of digital small supermarkets on Sundays.
The Catholic Church in Munich believes that weakening the Sunday protection, as proposed in Bavaria, contradicts the state's cultural and religious roots. They argue that allowing continuously open markets may lead to a restless and bustling environment, which goes against the peaceful character of Sundays.
Furthermore, the Catholic Office in Bavaria emphasizes the cultural importance of preserving Sundays as a day of rest, not just for employee protection, but also to maintain the traditional character and charm of the region.
