This year’s Christmas shopping season has not proven to be good for retailers in Germany, as the overall state of the world has suppressed consumers’ willingness to spend, said the head of the leading trade organization in comments published the day before Christmas.
– The mood is poor due to wars in the world and political uncertainties in Germany. This has affected consumer sentiment – said president of the German Retail Association (HDE) Alexander von Preen.
Consumers are saving money, so many retailers were not satisfied during the Christmas shopping season, he said.
The association expects inflation-adjusted consumption during the Christmas season to be at best at last year’s levels.
The atmosphere leading up to Christmas this year has been much more challenging in terms of retailers’ expectations than last year, HDE notes.
The collapse of the federal government coalition of the left center and the upcoming new elections also strongly influence shopping behavior, the trade association claims.
– People do not know what 2025 will bring, and that worries them – said von Preen.
Many have been deterred from going into the city to enjoy Christmas markets. However, some sectors, such as cosmetics, toys, and books, have shown better results.
