For a long time, the Germans held the deutsche mark as a proof of normality, something that held them together.

The Germans have a different consumption mentality: They don't get into debt.

The World Cup motto is 'A Time to Make Friends,' and friends should be offered friendly opening times. We want to campaign for shopping in Germany so the more than 1 million visitors in Germany for the World Cup come back to go shopping.

People are aware that they have a major problem with their retirement pensions [and] health insurance - they know that they're going to have to contribute more. That makes them insecure.

We now expect that on balance things could improve slightly in 2006.