Shopping Sundays 2024. Will this be the last December?

March next year will mark seven years since the introduction of the Sunday Trading Ban Act. Initially, there was a partial restriction on trade on the last day of the week – from March to December 2018, stores were open on the first and last Sunday of the month, in 2019 only on the last Sunday. As of 2020, we only have seven trading Sundays. This applies to the last Sunday of January, April, June and August, as well as the Sunday before Easter and the two Sundays before Christmas.

Shopping Sundays 2024. Changes next year?

This means that today is not a trading Sunday. We have to wait two more weeks for such a day, i.e. until December 15. Later, we will be able to do Sunday shopping only on December 22.

It cannot be ruled out that this will be the last December. This week, MPs supported a bill that will make Christmas Eve a day off from work next year. The act includes a provision providing for the introduction of one more commercial Sunday in December (it would fall at the beginning of the month), which means that from next year there will be three commercial Sundays before Christmas. Media leaks show that because of this provision, President Andrzej Duda may veto the bill.

Where will we go shopping today?

The fact that today is not a shopping Sunday does not mean that we will not shop anywhere. The Act provides for just over 30 exclusions. Stores in which the owner stands behind the counter may operate. Also open today are:

• gas stations,

• kiosks,

• restaurants,

• post offices,

• flower shops,

• shops located at stations and airports.

The penalty for violating the trade ban is from PLN 1,000 to even PLN 100,000. PLN fine, and in case of persistent violation of the regulations – penalty of restriction of liberty.