The German Retail Association (HDE) fears that the effects of the Corona crisis will threaten almost 16,000 shops this year. The inner-city dealers in particular were still suffering from the after-effects of the pandemic in 2022, warned HDE general manager Stefan Genth on Tuesday in Berlin. The 2G regulation, according to which only vaccinated and recovered people are allowed to buy in large parts of the trade, is particularly burdensome for the dealers.
According to a current survey of 1,300 retail companies by the association, 46 percent of the retailers affected by the 2G regulation assess their business situation as poor. “This measure, which is useless in the fight against the pandemic, must finally be taken nationwide,” Genth demanded. In addition, many retailers were struggling with the ongoing delivery problems. Sporting goods, electronics and household goods are particularly affected.
If the effects of the pandemic subside in a timely manner and measures such as 2G for retail are withdrawn, the HDE expects an overall increase in sales of three percent for the industry this year, despite all the problems. This would increase retail sales to more than 600 billion euros. However, the bulk of the growth is likely to come from the online sector, for which the HDE is forecasting growth of 13.5 percent. (dpa)