Sundays without trading. Zandberg: It’s a civilizational standard

On Wednesday, the Sejm adopted the Polish 2050-Third Way amendment, according to which, when Sunday falls on December 24, trade is open on two consecutive Sundays before Christmas Eve. This year, the shopping Sundays before Christmas fall on December 10 and 17.

There is also hope that the adoption of this act will be a prelude to further changes to the act on the ban on Sunday trading, which are intended to meet the expectations of consumers, employees and employers, whose will on this topic is constantly reflected in subsequent published public opinion surveys – he said before by vote, rapporteur MP Adam Michał Gomoła from Poland 2050-TD.

Marshal of the Sejm Szymon Hołownia (Polska 2050-TD) stated that the topic of regulating trade on Sundays will certainly be discussed in the Sejm again.

Adrian Zandberg commented on the topic. – Employees’ expectations are clear: they want to maintain their free time. It’s a day they can spend with their families and relax. The reality of working in supermarkets is that even without working Sundays, store crews are overloaded. Trade workers also have the right to rest – he said.

Razem is in favor of keeping Sundays off. This is a civilizational standard that has become accepted. If a bill to take time off from employees comes up in the Sejm, we will vote against it, the politician declared.

As Zandberg pointed out, “young Poles want a balance between work and rest.” – Social research shows this – this is what young voters of the Left think, but also of other parties – he added.

– Of course, the point of view depends on the life situation. Young people who work in supermarkets see it differently than those who come from rich families and do not have to work. Mr Gomola is entitled to his opinion on working on Sundays, but he is certainly not the voice of an entire generation on this matter – he pointed out.

The act gradually introducing a ban on Sunday trading came into force March 1, 2018 From 2020, the trade ban no longer applies on seven Sundays a year: the last Sundays of January, April, June and August, as well as on the Sunday before Easter and on the next two Sundays before Christmas.

The act restricting trade on Sundays provides for a catalog of 32 exclusions. The trade ban does not include, among others: postal activity, if the revenues from this activity constitute at least 40 percent. revenues from the sale of a given facility. Moreover, it does not apply to confectioneries, ice cream parlors, liquid fuel stations, flower shops, newsagents or cafes.

The penalty for breaking the Sunday trading ban is PLN 1,000 to PLN 100,000. PLN fine, and in case of persistent violation of the regulations – penalty of restriction of liberty.