Bakers are allowed to open on public holidays in North Rhine-Westphalia

1. wa.de
2. NRW

Stand: November 1, 2024, 7:04 a.m

Von: Simon Stock

PressSplit

Fresh rolls are the perfect start to the holiday. But are bakers in North Rhine-Westphalia allowed to open on All Saints Day? The rules are clear.

Hamm – A holiday ideally begins with a long sleep, followed by a warm shower and a delicious breakfast with fresh rolls or croissants. But what about All Saints Day, November 1st, 2024? Are bakers in North Rhine-Westphalia allowed to open their shops? Or should it be better to quickly get some baked rolls from the supermarket the day before?

Rolls on All Saints Day: Are bakers allowed to open in North Rhine-Westphalia on November 1st, 2024?

November 1st is a public holiday in North Rhine-Westphalia. It is one of the five federal states that celebrate this Catholic holiday. However, residents of the Rhine and Ruhr have to work the day before, Reformation Day, which is a public holiday in other federal states. A common experience for all Germans, however, is celebrating Halloween on Thursday, October 31st, whether in disguise while hunting for sweets from the neighbors or at one of the big spooky events in North Rhine-Westphalia.

In North Rhine-Westphalia you can celebrate a little longer without any worries, because the following day is All Saints Day – and therefore a day off for many.

The good news is: While supermarkets remain closed on All Saints’ Day, bakeries are allowed to open their shops on November 1st according to the North Rhine-Westphalia Shop Opening Act. However, there are no legally specified opening hours for bakeries. The branches can decide for themselves when they sell fresh bread rolls. And whether they open at all. Some employers also give their employees an additional day off and keep the shops closed.

On All Saints Day 2024, bakeries may be open for a maximum of five hours

Therefore, consumers should check with their favorite bakery in advance to see if and when it will open on November 1st. However, fans of holiday bread on All Saints’ Day shouldn’t take too much time, as the legal window for opening bakeries is a maximum of five hours.

Incidentally, All Saints’ Day is a so-called silent holiday – special rules and prohibitions therefore apply.