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Stuttgart (dpa / lsw) - The extension of the corona lockdown by the federal and state governments is having a catastrophic effect on the industry, according to retailers.
"The longer the lockdown lasts, the more companies come to the limits of their possibilities and the more will go bankrupt," said Sabine Hagmann, the chief executive of the Baden-Württemberg trade association, the "Stuttgarter Zeitung".
In the worst case, one has to expect that the forecast 6,000 closings will double to around 12,000 closings and bankruptcies in the next two years.
In the short term, 100,000 jobs in the southwest would be on the brink, in the long term it would be up to 200,000, said Hagmann.
The industry feels left alone in the crisis, said the managing director.
"Politicians always announce billions in aid, but in fact the aid is not paid out in retail because the barriers to access are far too high."
Many companies had largely used up their equity and needed economic support.
The association is calling for subsidies for the retail industry, along the lines of the extraordinary November and December aid.
The hospitality industry, for example, which has been largely closed for a long time, benefits from this.
Hagmann welcomed, however, that retailers in Baden-Württemberg will in future be able to hand over goods ordered at least online to customers - the so-called Click & Collect.
Many dealers had developed corresponding offers in the past few months.
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The federal and state governments agreed on Tuesday to extend the lockdown rules originally agreed until January 10th until the end of the month.
In addition, they agreed on even stricter contact restrictions in the private sector.