The German trade union verdi staged a nationwide strike in the retail and wholesale sector on Friday, with major companies Ikea and Metro AG among those affected.
Petra Ringer from verdi said at midday that she was "quite satisfied" with the turnout, although she did not provide a number of participants.
Meanwhile, the German Retail Association (HDE) was unimpressed by renewed industrial action in the faltering wage dispute.
The employers are well prepared for the strikes, said Steven Haarke, Managing Director of HDE. "We still do not expect any noticeable effects for customers," he added.
Collective bargaining for the approximately 5 million employees in the retail sector has made little progress for months, with a number of strikes and talks failing to break the deadlock.
The union is seeking at least €2.50 ($2.68) more per hour for employees across the country and a one-year wage agreement, along with further demands in each German state.
Employers had recently offered a pay rise totalling 10.24% over a two-year period, as well as an inflation compensation premium of €750 and a collectively agreed minimum wage.
At the beginning of March, some retail companies, including Ikea, announced that they would be raising their employees' wages.
In doing so, they were following an HDE recommendation to voluntarily increase wages and to offset these against any future wage settlement. Verdi had sharply criticized the employers' move.