24/7-Shops: Now Follow Restrictions

In Bavaria, something crucial has changed in retail since August 1: the new closing time law has come into effect. Municipalities can now allow up to eight so-called shopping nights per year - evenings when stores can even stay open until midnight. At the same time, a completely different phenomenon is spreading in German city centers: so-called 24/7 shops that are open around the clock, challenging the traditional understanding of store opening hours fundamentally. But now this is supposed to end. After Nuremberg tightens the closing time law in 2026, Erlangen and Fürth are now following suit.