Dusseldorf Many traders see the exclusion of unvaccinated persons as harmful and useless. To combat the pandemic, they have a surprisingly different proposal.
After the Prime Minister’s Conference had decided to extend the 2G rule, i.e. the exclusion of unvaccinated people, to the retail trade, the head of the retail chain Ernsting’s Family was downright beside himself. “This is an oath of disclosure and once again shows the state-political amateurism,” ranted Timm Homann. “We have never been closer to a banana republic!”
What makes Homann and many other trade managers so upset: The measure to only allow vaccinated and convalescents into the shops is causing major sales losses without any demonstrable contribution to containment of the pandemic. The decision was made “contrary to all scientific knowledge and detached from any incidence developments”, according to Homann.
“Of course we are all for the protection of the population,” emphasizes Kik boss Patrick Zahn, “But these measures are of no use in combating the pandemic, but they are causing great damage to retailers.”
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A key problem: Grocery stores and drug stores are excluded from the 2G regulation, but where 80 percent of customer contacts take place in retail. This means that the actual reduction in contacts that the government resolutions are supposed to achieve is only minimal. “It is a failure of the state that politicians once again shift the problem onto the small group of non-food traders,” says Kik boss Zahn.
“30 percent less sales – at full cost”
The 2G rule reduces the number of contacts in retail by a maximum of five percent, calculates a retailer. At the same time, however, he predicts a loss of 25 percent in sales. At Kik, the cuts are even higher in real terms: “In the three federal states where 2G already applies, we make 30 percent less sales – and at full cost,” reports Zahn.
This will add up to large amounts when it is introduced nationwide. Calculations by the Institut der Deutschen Wirtschaft (IW) have shown that a nationwide 2G rule in retail would lead to sales losses of 5.3 billion euros – in December alone. The institute even assumed a decline in sales of only 20 percent as a basis.
This is also of great concern to Joanna Fisher, head of the shopping center operated by ECE. “The nationwide introduction of the 2G regulation in the retail sector has, of all things, significant negative effects on retailers in the Christmas business, which is so important for them,” she warns. “Politicians are also aware that the risk of infection in retail is demonstrably low.”
“It is unbearable that symbolic politics are repeatedly carried out at the expense of retail,” complains Marcus Diekmann, managing director of Rose Bikes and spokesman for the organization “Dealers Help Dealers”, in which almost 4,000 members have come together to join forces during the Corona period support. “Yet production plants and open-plan offices are demonstrably the worse sources of infection.” He also finds it unbearable that in many state and state-affiliated institutions the employees have to continue to appear in the office.
Counter-proposal: 3G also in the supermarket
Many retailers even favor an alternative that is surprising at first glance: the nationwide introduction of 3G – but for the entire trade, including grocery stores and drugstores. “If politicians want to put additional pressure on the unvaccinated by curtailing their freedoms – and that’s the only truth behind the decisions – then that would be a much more effective solution,” suggests Kik boss Zahn.
That would not only affect a much larger number of potential contacts, but also prevent arbitrary injustice. Because many grocery stores, especially discounters like Lidl and Aldi, sell a large range of non-food items, but will not have to check the vaccination status of their customers in the future either.
Not all retailers are affected by the new requirements.
(Photo: imago images / Seeliger)
This bumps into a lot of other dealers. “As soon as the decisions of the Prime Minister’s Conference were published, Lidl has aggressively advertised that they will be selling sportswear in the coming week,” says a retailer who does not want to be named. That shows how absurd and unjust it all is.
The lockdown had already provoked such conflicts last year. At that time, as part of the federal emergency brake, all shops had to close, except those that offer everyday goods. According to the ordinances of the federal states, this included not only supermarkets but also bookstores and flower shops, but not shoe shops or electronics retailers.
Many traders had sued these regulations – and some of them were right by the courts. As a result, the corona protection ordinances had to be changed in some federal states.
Dealers want to go to court
Something similar could happen again now, since the resolutions of the Prime Minister’s Conference state that the definition of daily needs will be based on that from the federal emergency brake. “This regulation calls for an immediate correction by the judiciary,” says Ernsting’s Family boss Homann.
The dealers are also upset that they should be obliged to check every customer at the entrance to see whether they have been vaccinated or recovered. Many already fear queues in front of the shops and fierce discussions between staff and customers.
“While the state just checks spot checks where it is responsible, it expects the dealers to carry out a complete incoming inspection,” says Kik boss Zahn. “For example, when I see how little evidence is checked in local public transport and on the train, I get angry. That’s where most of the infections happen, not in stores. “
ECE boss Fisher sees it similarly. “I would have very much wished that the state would at least apply the same standards to retailers as it does to itself,” she says. Samples like those on the railways and in local public transport would have been much easier to organize for retailers at such short notice than laborious entrance controls, says Fisher. “As center operators, however, we will do everything we can to provide the retailers with the best possible organizational support in this difficult situation,” she promises.
Basically, the traders emphasize that they are ready to take part in combating the pandemic with money and personnel. For example, there are numerous vaccination campaigns in retail. Measures such as the 2G rule, however, are counterproductive for a trusting cooperation between trade and the state.
“From the point of view of ‘dealers helping dealers’, we are finally calling for a reliable and fair corona policy”, emphasizes bicycle dealer Diekmann. “Then we can do it together as a society.”
More: The 2G rule for retail does more harm than good