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Shopping Sunday on August 31st: How to take advantage of the opportunity!
Shops open on Sundays on August 31, 2025 in 10 federal states: opening times, regulations and interesting events for buyers.
Shopping Sunday on August 31st: How to take advantage of the opportunity!
August is coming to an end, and while Cologne residents are preparing for September, some retailers are already eagerly awaiting the upcoming Sunday shopping season on August 31, 2025. Many people have little time in their everyday lives to stroll through the shops in peace. That's why such Sundays are particularly popular in Germany and offer a welcome opportunity to pick up a bargain or two.
On August 31st, shops can open their doors in a total of ten federal states. Those affected are: Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia. The regulations regarding Sunday openings vary greatly from state to state. In principle, stores must remain closed on Sundays and public holidays, but there are various exceptions determined by the respective state laws, such as the platform news.de described in detail.
Regulations in the federal states
The specific regulations can vary quite a bit. For example, shops in Baden-Württemberg are allowed to open on up to three shopping Sundays per year, with the exception of Advent Sundays and public holidays. In Bavaria there is permission for four Sundays per year to be open for shopping, but special occasions are also required here to justify opening.
In Brandenburg it's even more: here, retailers can look forward to Sunday openings up to six times a year, and the shops open from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Bremen and Hesse follow with a maximum of four Sundays open for shopping, while in North Rhine-Westphalia, where the regulations are also similar, shops are not allowed to open on Sundays at Christmas, Easter or Pentecost. Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and Thuringia also allow four shopping Sundays per year, with similarly strict requirements.
The legal basis
The regulations regarding shop opening times in Germany are set out in the Shop Closing Act. This law has its roots in the Weimar Republic and was introduced in its current form in 1956. The primary goal is to protect employees and maintain Sunday peace. However, the federal states can independently issue different regulations, which leads to sometimes different opening times. For example, allowed juraforum.de the states to set special opening times for tourist areas.
In many cases, in order to be able to realize the planned Sunday openings, a special occasion is required - be it a street festival, a market or another event that serves as a reason for the exception. This is a great way to support local businesses and enjoy a little shopping fun at the same time.
While many states are undergoing reforms and adjustments to increase the number of Sunday shopping hours, it remains important to find out about current rules and possible changes before you plan your shopping trip. The websites like verkaufsoffener-sonntag.com offer helpful information about the upcoming shopping Sundays and their modalities.
So nothing stands in the way of getting hold of one or two bargains on the penultimate day in August. The Cologne retailers are looking forward to numerous visitors who would like to take the opportunity on August 31st to browse through the shop windows and perhaps find the right piece for the coming season.