Overview
- Germany imported more than 42,400 tonnes of fireworks from January to September 2025, a 62.6% jump year on year, signaling peak consumer demand.
- Berlin is deploying about 4,300 police officers and over 2,000 firefighters, has created no-firework zones, and reports removing more than 100,000 high-risk pyrotechnics from circulation.
- Chaotic retail scenes accompanied the sales launch, with a Lidl deputy manager in Fürth describing pre-dawn camping, aggressive crowds and rapid sell‑outs captured in viral videos.
- Insurers expect up to 1,000 comprehensive-insured car fires on New Year’s Eve, warning drivers to avoid parking in exposed hotspots.
- Hospital and multicenter studies document hundreds of cases with high rates of permanent harm, and data show pandemic sales bans reduced injuries by about 85%, bolstering calls for tighter rules as the Netherlands moves to a national ban from 2026/27.