Today in Germany: A roundup of the latest news on Friday

Friday’s top story: Retail strikes threaten disruption across Germany

Retail workers across Germany are set to stage warning strikes on Friday and Saturday, raising the prospect of disruption for shoppers in several regions.

The Verdi union has called on employees in retail, wholesale and mail‑order businesses to walk out on Friday and Saturday, with a particular focus on cities in Baden‑Württemberg, including Stuttgart, Heilbronn and Tübingen.

Major chains such as Kaufland, Rewe, Ikea, H&M, Primark, Zara and Metro could be affected, along with warehouse sites and pharmaceutical wholesalers. Some branches may close temporarily or operate with reduced staff, potentially leading to delays and limited availability of certain products.

The industrial action forms part of a nationwide pay dispute. Verdi has rejected employers’ latest offer of a two percent wage increase this year and a further 1.5 percent in 2027, describing it as insufficient to offset inflation.

Instead, the union is demanding a seven percent rise, or at least €225 per month.

Despite the walkouts, widespread shortages are not expected, and officials say supplies of food and medicine remain secure.

Disruption to Munich airport passengers after partial security shutdown

Passengers flying out of Munich airport on Thursday faced delays due to a technical problem in the security area at Terminal 2.

Around half of the 15 security checkpoints were temporarily closed, a spokeswoman confirmed to local broadcaster BR. 

Several passengers were taken by bus to go through security checks in Terminal 1. One person required medical attention due to circulatory problems, the spokeswoman added.

READ ALSO: LISTED – The major airlines in Germany cancelling flights and adding extra charges

Later on Thursday afternoon, the airport said that all security checkpoints in Terminal 2 were back up and running.

It isn’t clear what caused the technical failure. 

Terminal 2 is used by Lufthansa and its Star Alliance partner airlines. The security checkpoints were upgraded with state-of-the-art CT scanners last year.

German court rules Milka bar ‘misleading’ after shrinkflation row

A German court has ruled that a popular Milka chocolate bar amounted to deceptive packaging after its size was reduced while its price increased, sparking consumer outrage.

The Bremen Regional Court sided with Hamburg’s Consumer Protection Agency, finding that the reduction of the Alpenmilch bar from 100 grams to 90 grams misled customers. Judges described the change as “relative deceptive packaging”, noting that shoppers would not easily notice the difference.

Milka chocolate bars on display in a store. A court in Bremen ruled that packaging was misleading. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Sina Schuldt

Manufacturer Mondelez altered the bar’s design at the start of 2025, making it thinner while raising prices. The court said the company should have clearly highlighted the reduced quantity for at least four months to ensure transparency.

Mondelez argued that the weight remained visible on the packaging, but the court was unconvinced. The product had previously been criticised by campaign group Foodwatch, which labelled it one of the year’s most misleading products.

The ruling is not yet final and may be appealed. The case comes amid wider industry pressures, with sharply rising cocoa prices in recent years prompting manufacturers to cut sizes and raise prices.

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Watchdog slams ‘incomprehensible’ Building Modernisation Act

Germany’s proposed Building Modernisation Act has come under fierce attack from the National Regulatory Review Council (NKR), which has branded the draft law impractical, costly and difficult to understand.

Writing in Bild, NKR chairman Lutz Goebel described the legislation as one of the “most poorly drafted” proposals the watchdog has seen in recent years. He warned that its complexity risks fuelling public frustration with politics, while industry groups also question its feasibility.

READ ALSO: What Germany’s new heating law means for tenants and landlords

Critics say the bill would increase bureaucracy and push up costs, particularly for homeowners required to seek expert advice to comply with rules such as allocating heating expenses under fossil fuel systems. The NKR has urged the Bundestag to revise the draft and take on board industry feedback.

Although the law allows new gas heating systems, it requires a growing share of climate‑neutral fuels from 2029. Business groups say it could spur investment, but others argue key questions remain unresolved, including cost sharing and supply security.

The government aims to pass the bill before the summer recess.

Relegation drama nears in historic Bundesliga finale

The Bundesliga season’s final matchday Saturday will deliver an unprecedented relegation battle, with Wolfsburg, Heidenheim and St Pauli level on points for the first time in league history.

Wolfsburg occupy 16th place on goal difference, narrowly ahead of their rivals, while Heidenheim edge St Pauli on goals scored. St Pauli host Wolfsburg in a direct showdown, though even victory may not guarantee survival.

Heidenheim, in strong form with just one defeat in seven matches, face Mainz and could secure a play-off spot or better with a decisive win.

The team finishing 16th will enter a relegation play-off, while the bottom two are automatically relegated. Wolfsburg, in the topflight since 1997, are fighting to avoid their first drop, while Heidenheim seek a remarkable late escape in only their third Bundesliga season.

At the top, the race for the final Champions League place also goes to the wire, with Stuttgart, Hoffenheim and Bayer Leverkusen still in contention heading into Saturday’s decisive fixtures.

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With reporting by AFP and Rachel Loxton