Overview

• Between January and April, German consumers bought nearly 110,000 robotic mowers, a 45% increase that generated about €125 million in revenue, up 64%.
• Industry experts attribute the surge to user-friendly controls, low noise levels and lower maintenance compared with petrol-powered lawn mowers.
• Leibniz Institute research recorded 370 hedgehog injuries linked to robotic mowers between mid-2022 and late 2023, with almost half proving fatal.
• Cologne introduced a night-time operation ban in October 2024 and Mainz followed in April 2025, while cities such as Frankfurt are evaluating similar restrictions.
• Conservation groups and animal welfare officials are calling for nationwide night-time curbs and await federal technical guidelines on wildlife-friendly mower designs due in 2026.