ZEW study - | Public holidays cost the economy less than expected:
Public holidays do cost the economy money, but significantly less than is often assumed ...
deutschlandfunk.de/feiertage-kosten-die-wirtschaft-weniger-als-gedacht-100.html
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ZEW study: Public holidays cost economy less than often assumedThe ZEW analysis estimates annual losses per holiday at 0.06 to 0.28 percent of Germany’s GDP.
Key FactsOct 2, 2026 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: deutschlandfunk.de
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: deutschlandfunk.de
- According to the study, each public holiday causes annual losses of 0.06 to 0.28 percent of Germany’s gross domestic product.
- The range reflects assumptions covering either mainly manufacturing or the economy as a whole.
- The researchers reported that sales per employee and working hours were about three and 2.5 percent higher in such months, respectively.
- The analysis used Federal Statistical Office data from 2005 to 2019; potential long-term health or social benefits were not examined.
Public holidays are not free.— Brüll, study author at ZEW; emphasized that public holidays are not free.
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Key FactsStudy: Public Holidays Cost Economy Less Than Simple Estimates
Sep 28, 2026 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: sueddeutsche.de
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: sueddeutsche.de
- When the same holiday fell on a Sunday, manufacturing recorded about three percent higher sales per employee and 2.5 percent more working hours.
- The study estimates annual losses at 0.06 to 0.28 percent of GDP; mechanical calculations reach up to 0.4 percent.
- Companies recover part of production through overtime and operational adjustments, while the hospitality industry may benefit from public holidays.
- The analysis uses monthly manufacturing data covering all 16 federal states from 2005 to 2019 and examines only short-term production effects.
Holidays are not free; the economic costs remain manageable and leave room for social considerations.— Eduard Brüll, study author at the Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in Mannheim; said that holidays are not free, the economic costs remain manageable and leave room for social considerations.
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