Shop opening hours

In Hesse, sales outlets may be open for business with customers from 0:00 - 24:00 on working days.

Sales outlets must be closed for business at the following times:

• on Sundays and public holidays,
• on Maundy Thursday from 20:00,
• on 24.12 , if this day falls on a working day, from 14:00 and
• on 31.12 , if this day falls on a working day, from 14:00.

During these times, the display of goods for sale to anyone outside the points of sale is also prohibited.

Notwithstanding the above, the following are permitted:

• Petrol stations between 0:00 - 24:00 hours for the dispensing of fuel, spare parts for the maintenance or restoration of the roadworthiness of motor vehicles and for the dispensing of travel necessities,
• Sales outlets at international commercial airports, airports and passenger stations between 0:00 - 24:00, but at airports and passenger stations only for the dispensing of travel necessities,
• "digital mini-supermarkets", that is to say, fully automated retail outlets with a sales area of up to 120 square metres, which sell only everyday consumer goods and are operated by digital solutions without sales staff, between 00:00 and 24:00
• Kiosks for a period of 6 hours for the dispensing of newspapers, magazines, tobacco products, foodstuffs and luxury foodstuffs in small quantities,
• Sales outlets that predominantly sell bakery or confectionery products for a period of 6 hours for the distribution of fresh bakery and confectionery products,
• Points of sale where flowers are displayed on a substantial scale shall be authorised to sell flowers and
• Farm sales points, farm shops and cooperative sales points for a period of 6 hours for the sale of self-produced agricultural products.
• Sales outlets in health resorts, excursion and pilgrimage destinations on up to 40 Sundays or public holidays per year for the sale of travel goods, sporting goods, devotional objects, goods characteristic of these locations and items for tourist use (the duration of opening hours on these days may not exceed 8 hours).

be open.

In addition, local authorities are authorised to permit the opening of retail outlets on up to four Sundays or public holidays each year to coincide with markets, fairs or special local events (special occasions). However, the following days are excluded: the Sundays in Advent, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, Good Friday, the Easter holidays, the Whitsun holidays, Corpus Christi, the penultimate Sunday after Trinity Sunday (Remembrance Day) and the last Sunday after Trinity Sunday (All Souls’ Day) may not be authorised.

The regulations applicable in Hesse shall not apply:

• at trade fairs, markets and exhibitions established by trade law or for wholesale markets authorised by trade law, if no goods are displayed for sale to the end consumer,
• on the sale of accessory articles that is closely related to a non-commercial or commercial activity or event permitted under other legal provisions, in particular at cultural and sporting events, in leisure, recreational and amusement facilities, in catering and accommodation facilities as well as museums.