Retail and event containers
Retail and event containers are shipping or room containers converted for direct customer contact: with a large serving hatch that doubles as a canopy when raised, a counter, lighting, corporate-design wrapping and – for catering – kitchen and refrigeration equipment. Stacked and fitted with stairs, they become bars with roof terraces, exhibition stands or pop-up stores.
The appeal lies in combining robustness with mobility: in the evening the hatch closes and the container is as secure as any store. Legally, however, an event container is more than a store. Depending on its use, food hygiene, trade and licensing law, special use of public land and – for repeated assembly and dismantling – the rules on temporary structures come into play.
Typical uses
- Street food and drinks stand at festivals and markets
- Container bar with roof terrace for city festivals or beach venues
- Exhibition stand delivered fully fitted
- Pop-up store and showroom in town centres
- Farm shop or sales stand for direct marketers
- Ticket, information and cash desk at major events
- Mobile exhibition or brand activation on tour
Sizes and dimensions
| Size | Typical use | Hatch | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 ft | coffee, info, ticket sales | one long side | fits small spaces |
| 20 ft | street food, bar, farm shop | one or both long sides | the standard for catering |
| 40 ft | bar with storage, exhibition stand | partial or several hatches | check transport and space |
| Stacked | bar with roof terrace | serving below, terrace above | structural verification and railings needed |
Examples from practice; design and dimensions are almost always bespoke.
✓ Advantages
- Strong recognition through industrial look and wrapping
- Lockable like a store after the event
- Delivered fully pre-installed – short set-up time
- Combinable into bars, terraces and multi-container stands
! Points to consider
- Catering equipment drives costs up sharply
- Approvals can be multi-layered depending on use and location
- Roof terraces need structural verification, railings and stairs
- Heavy – set-down areas and access routes must be load-bearing
Equipment and options
- Serving hatch with gas struts or hydraulics
- Counter, stainless steel work surfaces for catering
- Hand wash basin with hot water, sink, refrigeration
- Electrical distribution with CEE inlet
- LED lighting inside and under the hatch
- Wrapping or paint in corporate design
- Optional: roof terrace with railing, external stairs, beer tap, extractor hood
Price guide
- Conversion with hatch and electrics
- roughly mid four figures on top of the container
- Catering fit-out
- quickly five figures depending on kitchen equipment
- Event hire
- usually daily rates or weekly packages plus transport
Rough orientation values without guarantee; prices vary by region, condition and market.
What to look out for
- Clarify beforehand what will be served and prepared – hygiene requirements, equipment and approvals depend on it.
- If the container is regularly set up at changing locations, check whether it counts as a temporary structure; it then needs a type approval.
- On public land, apply for the special use permit in good time.
- Plan power realistically: coffee machine, fryer and refrigeration together quickly need more than a normal supply provides.
- For roof terraces, plan structure, railing height and escape routes from the start.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit for a sales container?
That depends on location and use. On private land building law may apply; on public land a special use permit is required. Selling food requires trade registration and compliance with hygiene rules; serving alcohol is subject to separate rules depending on the German state.
What is a temporary structure?
A structure intended to be repeatedly set up and dismantled at different locations – such as grandstands, marquees or fairground rides. In Germany such structures need a type approval and are inspected at each site. Whether an event container falls into this category depends on its design and use.
Related guides
Planning with retail and event containers?
Compare sizes, costs and buying vs. renting in our guides.
