Shopping Sundays in Berlin: the Senate’s dates

In Berlin the Sundays are not chosen by the districts but by the Senate administration, for the whole city at once. Under section 6 of the Berlin Shop Opening Act, the Senate administration responsible for shop hours sets eight Sundays or public holidays each year on which every shop may open from 1 pm to 8 pm. It does so by a general order published in the official gazette. No more than two of these days may fall in one month, and two in a row only for an exceptionally weighty public interest. New Year, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Whit Sunday, 1 May, Volkstrauertag, Totensonntag, the December holidays and Christmas Eve on an Advent Sunday are barred. Unlike most states, Berlin allows Advent Sundays. On top of that, each shop may open on two further Sundays for its own occasion, such as a company anniversary or a street fair, if it tells the district office two weeks ahead. That Berlin may not open all four Advent Sundays was decided by the Federal Constitutional Court in 2009.