The board of the German Trade Association (HDE) has appealed to the German population to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
The group believes it is 'the only way to prevent renewed restrictions on public life and to combat the pandemic effectively.'
German Retail Representatives
The supporters of the vaccine appeal include representatives from Otto GmbH & Co KG, REWE Group, Schwarz Group (Lidl and Kaufland), Ernsting's family GmbH & Co. KG, Edeka Zentrale AG & Co. KG, Douglas GmbH, Aldi, Ceconomy AG, Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof GmbH, Ikea, Metro, Globetrotter, and numerous medium-sized retail companies.
To help with the appeal, the HDE has provided all retail companies with posters that call on customers to vaccinate.
"Only with an effective and fast vaccination campaign can we sustainably push back the pandemic and regain more normality, even when shopping," said HDE managing director Stefan Genth.
"The retail trade wants to shake up and motivate with its appeal and the posters," he added.
HDE Appeal
Acting on behalf of the HDE, Genth continued, "The most effective protection against COVID-19 and at the same time the fastest way out of the pandemic are vaccinations. With a vaccination, everyone can make an important contribution to overcoming this crisis.
"We therefore appeal to our customers as well as to our employees to accept the vaccination offers and thus contribute to a high level of protection.
He added that even if the number of infections is currently at a low level, there is a risk of the pandemic flaring up again and a fourth wave of infections.
“If we do not want to jeopardise what we have struggled to achieve, we must continue to be prudent and act responsibly. The hygiene rules including the mask requirement must still be strictly adhered to. We have to use this summer to position ourselves even better against the pandemic. Now it's about vaccinating, vaccinating, vaccinating," Genth said.
© 2021 European Supermarket Magazine. Article by Conor Farrelly. For more Retail news, click here. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
