Nowadays it is assumed everywhere in Germany that supermarkets are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Some open their doors even earlier and close much later. You can go shopping, at least in cities, almost around the clock.

However, that could change soon - because of the shortage of skilled workers, there is a shortage of staff in many places. In Lörrach, a market operator actually took drastic measures.

As the "district newspaper" reports, businessman Dieter Hieber was concerned about the well-being of his employees. Hieber operates 16 Edeka branches in Baden-Württemberg. But the personnel situation has been tense for a while now, and shifts can no longer be filled as before.

The reasons: illness, vacation time, lack of staff. There are hardly any new employees because the salaries in retail are not as high as in other sectors. Hieber took action - and is now closing all his shops at 1 p.m.

"Many employees are at the breaking point," he told the "district newspaper". Since the beginning of the pandemic, many have been working at the limit. If he now wants to keep the usual opening times, it would only be at the expense of the staff. And that wouldn't have deserved the extra work - on the contrary.

Hieber finally wants to give his employees a break. Also because their everyday work was not always pleasant due to the pandemic and price increases. Aggression and hostility from customers were the order of the day.

The shortened opening hours should initially apply until mid-September, after the end of the summer holidays in Baden-Württemberg the 16 markets want to open longer again. However, it is not yet clear whether you will return directly to the 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. model.

In any case, Dieter Hieber thinks that the opening hours should be reconsidered in general. Many retail workers would certainly agree with him.

Source: "district newspaper"