"Even a digital receipt remains a receipt. A paper receipt must still be provided when buying bread rolls, even if no one wants it. This isn't an abolition, but rather the same bureaucracy under a different name," says Roland Ermer. (Photo: © ZDB)
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1 October 2026
Following the cabinet decision on the cash register law, the baking trade criticizes the fact that the obligation to issue receipts is not being abolished, but merely transferred to the digital realm.
With the cash register law now passed by the German government, it does not intend to abolish the obligation to issue receipts as originally planned. From 2028 onwards, only the obligation to issue paper receipts will be eliminated; instead, receipts will be made available digitally. At the express request of customers, retailers must continue to issue paper receipts even after the paper receipt obligation expires.
"Even a digital receipt remains a receipt. When buying bread rolls, a physical receipt must still be provided, even if nobody wants it. This isn't an abolition, but the same bureaucracy under a different name," says Roland Ermer, President of the Central Association of the German Bakery Trade (ZV).
BillRead more about the federal government's plans and the reaction of the skilled trades here:
The obligation to issue receipts will not be abolished.The federal government explicitly promised to abolish the mandatory receipt requirement in its coalition agreement. A receipt should only have to be created and provided if the customer expressly requests it – digitally or on paper, at the business's discretion. "The draft now presented breaks with this promise," said Ermer.
The baking trade supports measures against tax evasion and fair competition. The vast majority of artisan bakeries already use electronic cash registers and certified technical security devices. Therefore, an additional obligation to provide digital receipts would not create any added value, but could, depending on the cash register system, incur additional costs for retrofitting, software, licenses, and training.
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Managing this financially is hardly possible for many businesses. "The obligation to issue receipts has not been abolished. It has merely been digitized. That's a difference in technology, but not in bureaucracy. Furthermore, the transitional provisions included in the draft law only postpone the problem, they don't solve it," says Dr. Friedemann Berg, Managing Director of the German Association of Retailers (ZV).
"Especially for small and medium-sized businesses, every additional expense counts." The central association sees a particular need for action regarding mobile sales vehicles, weekly market stalls, and sales at public festivals. Practical exceptions are required for these sales methods. "It is not enough to only want to specify the exceptions after the law has been passed."
The Central Association is once again calling for a correction to the cabinet decision: "The federal government promised businesses the abolition of the receipt obligation. Now this promise must also be fulfilled at the checkout counter. Our bakeries need fewer obligations and more time for their craft," explains Ermer.
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