Gift shopping
Christmas business disappoints retailers
Bad mood, political unrest, unsettled customers: In the important weeks before Christmas Eve, things did not go as hoped for retail in Germany.
From the German retail perspective, the Christmas business was not particularly successful. The weeks before the festival suffered significantly “from the general weather situation,” said the President of the German Trade Association (HDE), Alexander von Preen.
“The mood is bad because of the wars in the world and the political uncertainties in Germany. This is affecting consumers.” People would have kept their money together. This meant that many retailers had little joy in the Christmas business.
Trade association expects less sales than 2023
According to HDE, the general conditions in the period before Christmas, which is so important for the industry, were more difficult than in the previous year. The traffic light off and the upcoming new election had a severe impact on shopping behavior.
“People don’t know what to expect in 2025 and are unsettled,” says von Preen. This prevented many from going into the city and enjoying the Christmas market. However, things were going better in some sectors such as cosmetics, toys and books.
Adjusted for inflation, the association expects overall sales in the Christmas business to be at the same level as last year at best. “I expect a small minus,” said von Preen. Originally, revenues of a good 121 billion euros were forecast for November and December – around the same as in 2023. Final figures are not yet available.
dpa
Source: Stern
