Sustainability at the Christkindlesmarkt
To support local vendors, some market stalls offer goods produced by artisanal workshops in Nuremberg and the surrounding region. The market stalls themselves are also reused, maintained, and brought back into service year after year. They are made of locally sourced spruce wood, and some elements even date back to 1890.
The three life-size gilded angels—Bärbel, Rosa, and Kunigunde—at the entrances to the Christkindlesmarkt were crafted over 70 years ago and have been reused ever since. They are thus part of a long-standing tradition through which the market welcomes its visitors.
For beverages, participating vendors use a shared reusable cup system. The cups are washed at a central washing station behind the Frauenkirche and then reused. This helps reduce the use of disposable cups in the beverage area.Since joining the “Città del BIO” city network in December 2006, BioMetropole Nuremberg has been promoting organic businesses and organic foods. The Christkindlesmarkt offers vegetarian and vegan dishes as well as products bearing the EU organic label. Since 2024, a themed trail has guided visitors through the market’s selection of vegan food and goods.The Christkindlesmarkt’s printed materials are produced on FSC-certified paper. Print runs are planned based on expected demand to avoid unnecessary overproduction as much as possible.The Christmas lighting consists of LED lights. Electricity from renewable sources is used to power them.
Individual companies represented at the Christkindlesmarkt also implement their own sustainability measures. Lebkuchen-Schmidt employs more than 1,000 people at its Nuremberg location during the peak season and supports the Christkindlesmarkt as a major sponsor. Since 2023, the company has held certification for its management system in accordance with the “ZNU Standard for Sustainable Business Practices.” The certification is regularly reviewed by an independent certification body. Among the measures cited by the company are the use of electricity from renewable energy sources, the use of Fairtrade-certified cocoa for all chocolate products, as well as measures related to shipping and the promotion of habitats for bees. Further information on the respective measures can be found here: https://www.schmidt-stiftung.com/nachhaltigkeit.