The trade association has been criticizing the corona-related access restrictions in retail for months. The so-called 2G rule applies in fewer and fewer federal states. It could soon fall nationwide.
More and more federal states are lifting the so-called 2G rule for retail – much to the delight of the German Retail Association (HDE). “Most federal states have now returned to the path of reason and have abolished the useless 2G regulation in the fight against the pandemic when shopping,” said HDE Managing Director Stefan Genth on Wednesday on request. “However, there are state governments that, incomprehensibly, do not act directly, but want to hold on to 2G in retail for a few more days.” For businesses, this means losses “day after day”.
The association has been criticizing the rules that require customers to be vaccinated or recovered (2G) to access stores for weeks. The federal and state governments had agreed on this restriction. In the meantime, however, the rule only applies to a limited extent in most federal states, if at all. Others are on the verge of abolishing them.
In Bavaria, for example, the 2G requirement for retail has been suspended for a long time after the Administrative Court overturned the restriction in January. In Lower Saxony, too, a court had rejected the 2G rule. Since then, FFP2 masks have been compulsory in shops in both federal states. Brandenburg and Baden-Württemberg have also been doing this since Wednesday. Berlin only wants to tip 2G later.
In Hamburg and Bremen, the rule will probably also be replaced by the FFP2 mask requirement in the coming days. In North Rhine-Westphalia, on the other hand, 2G is still valid, but the dealers only have to check the evidence on a random basis.
Other federal states such as Saxony-Anhalt continue to adhere to the rule. In Thuringia, on the other hand, 3G has been in effect since this Monday. Customers can also shop there with a negative corona test.
On Wednesday, NRW Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU) announced that the 2G-based access restrictions in retail would be abolished nationwide. “Together with the Prime Ministers, we will discuss a step-by-step plan for more perspectives that will responsibly secure the openings with basic protection,” said Wüst, who is currently the chairman of the Prime Ministers’ Conference. The panel will meet again on February 16. (dpa)