The Shopping Experience: Why is Everything Closed on Sunday?

 

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Shopping in Germany has been an interesting rollercoaster ride! I particularly dislike supermarket shopping and find it stressful, chaotic and not fun! I wrote a few times about my experience especially the first year here. I am still getting used to the shorter hours and no shopping Sundays! I am just so used to shopping on Sundays or picking up something I forgot at 9 pm on a weeknight from my Wisconsin life. Apparently it is not just me that complains about these unique hours here. I spoke to a Dutch parent from school and he said that even Netherlands has their shops open on Sundays, not as long as a full day but at least a half day or so. My Indian neighbors also remind me how inconvenient the shopping is here.

Because shops are all closed on Sundays, except for gas stations, cafes or restaurants, it feels like every German person or family is shopping on Saturdays! This makes shopping on Saturdays so stressful and crowded!  But all the working folks have no choice. I realize Sundays are family days, church days and a day off for workers here but it is just so hard to get used to living here.  I cook a lot, and also will teach more cooking classes in Nürnberg and Erlangen so it helps to get last minute items on the weekends. It is a very inconvenient lifestyle in my view...☹️

Here is what I shared in October of last year about my awful experience with fellow German shoppers cutting line in front of me! Unbelievable! And really difficult to watch this aggressive behavior.....whew!  It is such a foreign and alien way of shopping! 

Even after more than 1 year, I still dislike supermarket shopping in Germany!  If possible I send Marc! 😆  You already know how I feel about the limited store hours and no help packing your groceries....I am spoiled but I miss grocery bag service from the States! 

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And today I was so fed up with the Rewe store shoppers behind me. Only one cash register lane was open so I was standing in the back. I let a young woman go ahead of me since she had two items. She thanked me and was happy to go ahead. Then another store cashier  came up and looked at me and said loudly that he was opening lane number 4. 

I said ok and turned my cart to move to the newly opened lane. 

But literally in one quick second, a couple behind me cut in front of me and bolted to the open register lane!!! Incredible! 

I know it is pretty common here to line up quickly but if the cashier was addressing me about the register lane, why don’t they wait their turn? I was already in front of them! 

Is it just me or are Germans super impatient and aggressive when they shop? 

Can someone, another German, please explain! ☹️ 😱 

Also I found an interesting American and Asian section  but was way overpriced and limited. Like 7 Euro Pop Tarts? And is this all the American food there is? The Kimchi in the can also needs to go! ☹️😫😢

One of the Facebook comments from an American in Germany also agrees with me and  writes...

Germans have a reputation for being disciplined, but in fact they are the rudest shoppers in the world. The older, post war generation is the worst but they are dying off now so things are getting better. Corona is a blessing because it teaches people to keep their distance when standing in line. Otherwise they will bump you continuously from behind with their shopping carts, or their baggage carts at the airport check in counters. Shop assistants at the bakery will ask who's next and people will just blurt out their order when they are clearly after you in line. I stare them down and say, excuse me, how much bigger do I have to be for you to see that I was here before you? There are a lot of things I love about Germany, but shopping for food brings out the monster in every German. Brits and Americans are about a thousand times more polite in these situations.

I do find the farmers markets to be more pleasant to shop and really less hectic.  In our new village here in Kraftshof, I am exploring the smaller farm owned shops where I can just buy regional and local produce and some special products. We love walking to our small veggie store and supporting our neighbors. There is a 24 hour vending machine too with basic items like eggs, milk, cheese, deli meats, and snacks...I thought this was cool! 

As an American, I am aware that we spend a lot of time shopping and a lot of money on our food.  And I know that food shopping is cultural and different in every country.  But the shopping experience and system here has definitely made me pause and think about the good and the bad!