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Trier / Mainz (dpa / lrs) - With a few exceptions, retailers in Rhineland-Palatinate have had to keep their shop doors closed for weeks.
On Monday, dealers organized a campaign to draw attention to their difficult economic situation and symbolically opened their shop doors.
The aim was according to the information to show that their shelves are full of winter goods.
However, they are currently unable to sell these due to the imposed lockdown.
"If we are allowed to reopen on February 1st, the spring goods will arrive," said the operator of the Camp David store in Trier and chairman of the city initiative in the city, Patrick Sterzenbach.
The trade association spoke of nationwide participation in various locations.
Sterzenbach explained the problem behind the full shelves.
«Our capital is in the goods.
If I cannot sell the winter goods, I cannot buy the spring goods. "
For many seasonal retailers, that means “that they simply have to close because they can no longer”, he said.
These deals could only survive if there was additional help from the federal government.
There must be compensation for the unsold goods.
According to Sterzenbach in Trier, no customers were allowed into the shop on Monday.
"The infection rate is far too high for that," said the shop operator.
The door is only opened symbolically.
According to the general manager of the Rhineland-Palatinate trade association, Thomas Scherer, several textile dealers in Kaiserslautern, among others, took part.
"Many participate."
The trade is not doing well, the traders would like to draw attention to their situation by participating.
With the exception of shops for daily needs, retail in Rhineland-Palatinate has been closed since mid-December due to the corona pandemic.
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Scherer also warned of the long-term consequences of the store closings.
Should the lockdown be extended even further, one could hang a sign with "For sale" on the inner cities.
"The inner cities will be broken," said Scherer.
Among other things, there will be no more restaurants and no owner-managed shops.
The textile sector in particular, as well as watch and jewelry retailers and perfumeries, are particularly hard hit.
In Scherer's opinion, the store closings have not yet led to a decrease in the number of infections.
"The reasons for the widespread distribution cannot be found there."
It is the wish of the trade association that the shops can be reopened “as soon as possible”.
“If it has to be,” said Scherer, the bridging aids would have to be adapted and converted in such a way “that you actually have help”.
City Initiative Trier