German Garden Centers Win Christmas Decoration Legal Battle

Garden centers in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany, can sell Christmas decorations on Sundays, thanks to a recent ruling by the Federal Court of Justice.

The controversy began when a garden center in NRW started selling Christmas decorations—such as artificial fir branches, glass baubles, and cinnamon sticks—on Sundays alongside its main product line of flowers and plants. I Photo: Dietmar Rabich Wikimedia Commons

This decision resolves years of legal disputes linked to Germany’s stringent Sunday trading laws, Eleanor Butler reported for Euronews.

The controversy began when a garden center in NRW started selling Christmas decorations—such as artificial fir branches, glass baubles, and cinnamon sticks—on Sundays alongside its main product line of flowers and plants.

Competition authorities argued this violated trading laws, giving the garden center an unfair advantage.

Under NRW law, certain shops can open for five hours on Sundays to sell core goods, like baked goods, newspapers, and flowers, along with related items.

The Federal Court of Justice ruled that Christmas decorations qualify as related items when sold alongside Christmas trees and plants, allowing them to be sold on Sundays. The ruling provides clarity on a previously inconsistent legal landscape and marks a win for garden centers in the region.