Traders want a revolution on trading Sundays. The ministry responded

With the approaching holiday season, the discussion about the rules of trading on Sundays has returned. Entrepreneurs operating in tourist destinations argue that the current calendar of shopping Sundays does not take into account the specificity of regions that rely on tourism. However, the Ministry of Family does not intend to change the applicable regulations.

Traders want more flexibility

Currently, trading on Sundays is only allowed on dates specified by law. The same rules apply to both large cities, seaside resorts and mountain towns visited by thousands of tourists.

Industry representatives indicate that the ability to adapt shopping Sundays to seasonal tourist traffic would increase sales and better respond to the needs of visitors. In their opinion, stores could be opened during periods of the greatest influx of guests, while maintaining the current limit on commercial Sundays per year.

Example from Germany

Proponents of change pay attention to solutions operating abroad. In Germany, in selected tourist regions, Sunday trading is possible during certain seasons. This applies, among others, to towns located on the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, where shops can operate on Sundays for most of the tourist year.

According to industry representatives, a similar model could also work in Poland, especially in seaside towns in summer and in mountain resorts during the winter season.

The tourism industry supports the idea

As representatives of the tourism sector point out, holiday resorts operate at a completely different rhythm than other regions of the country. During the peak season, the number of visitors increases dramatically, and with it the demand for services and trade.

The industry believes that greater flexibility could benefit both entrepreneurs and tourists themselves. It is primarily about easier access to stores during peak periods and better use of the economic potential of regions that rely on tourism.

The ministry does not plan any changes

However, the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Policy leaves no doubt. The ministry informed that it is not currently conducting legislative work on the introduction of separate trade rules for tourist regions or pilot solutions making trade dependent on location.

According to the ministry, the applicable regulations meet the needs of all citizens, including people visiting popular holiday destinations. This means that for now, entrepreneurs from resorts cannot count on special exceptions from the nationwide calendar of shopping Sundays.

However, the discussion around the changes will probably continue. Before each tourist season, arguments about the need for greater flexibility come back, and the growing number of tourists means that the topic may return to the public debate many times.