Berlin. The first shopping Sunday this Advent attracted numerous people to the city. Whether in the Mall of Berlin, the Ku’damm or the Christmas markets: there is a lot of activity in large parts of the city, sometimes it got really crowded. Figures from the Berlin-Brandenburg trade association support this impression.

“It was a very good weekend and a very good Sunday,” says Günter Pätz, deputy general manager of the Berlin-Brandenburg trade association. According to feedback from the companies, the Sunday opening was very well received by both locals and tourists.

Sunday shopping in Berlin: Locals and tourists come to the city

Many make it as obvious as Christoph Schulz (33) and David Ruhe (34). The two friends treat themselves to a glass of mulled wine at the Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz before they do some Advent shopping – Ruhe wants to buy jewelry for his girlfriend, Schulz accompanies him. “After three years of crises, Christmas has brought me back,” says 33-year-old Christoph Schulz, who lives in Charlottenburg and works as an architect. “This is already the third Christmas market I’ve visited.”

Nevertheless, David Ruhe gets the feeling that the crisis is not quite over. The 34-year-old runs a pharmacy in Wedding and is struggling with a shortage of medicines, rising prices and the newly decided savings in fees for prescription medicines. Still, both say the rising prices have had no impact on their shopping behavior.

The desire to shop returns after the Corona years

Relief that the pandemic years are over prevails for most Sunday shoppers. For the first time in three years, the Herbig family from Bad Brückenau in Franconia were able to go on their traditional Advent trip to Berlin. “Ever since the kids were little, we’ve been coming here for a weekend before Christmas,” says Bianca Herbig (48). They specifically chose the weekend with the Sunday shopping.

Her Advent shopping has been successful so far: “We each got hold of a pair of Air Jordans for both children,” says Herbig. This sneaker model from the “Nike” brand is otherwise almost always sold out. They want to stand in front of the shoe store at 1 p.m. sharp for their son and exchange the sneakers for a larger number. In comparison to their homeland, they notice above all: “Everything is much more expensive here at the Christmas market than here,” says Bianca Herbig.

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For Eline Lund (46) and Björn Winter (45), the prices in Berlin are okay compared to Norway. The medical assistants and the orthodontist commute between Germany and Oslo. At 12.30 p.m. they peek through the closed gates into the department store. “We go to KaDeWe mainly to look at the beautiful shop windows and have a coffee,” says Lund.

Apparently, so many people take the opportunity to shop in Berlin that the sales from the last year before Corona, 2019, could be repeated. “Our expectations were exceeded,” says trade association man Pätz. The range of shops and the many Christmas markets have once again attracted many people to the city.

Trade association still wants to wait and see profit development

However, Günter Pätz does not want to give the all-clear for the trade: “Sales are increasing again, but that is also due to the fact that the goods are becoming more expensive.” dealers hang. The extent to which the profits from the business could be achieved in 2019 should therefore still be seen. Next shopping Sunday is the fourth Advent on December 18th.

At the end of the first shopping Sunday in Advent, however, the mood in Berlin has calmed down. In the late afternoon, shopping bags are dangling from numerous arms, and the swing band “The Swinging Hermelins” plays the song “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” in the Europa Center. Just then, a man with a pointed cap and a bushy beard comes around the corner. Seems the Christmas spirit has returned despite everyone in town.