Christmas, Easter, the autumn holidays in November or New Year’s Eve are approaching and people are starting to wonder what the opening hours are during the holidays. When are shops closed, which shops can be open and does the ban apply to small businesses? The Retail and Wholesale Business Hours Act sets out clear rules that retailers must follow – and breaches can lead to hefty fines.
The basic legal framework is set out in the Retail Hours of Sale Act. It obliges certain shops to close on selected public holidays. The law responds to a long-standing social debate about whether employees should be able to spend major holidays with their families and whether it is fair for large supermarkets in particular to be open on these days.
The essence of the regulation is not an across-the-board restriction for everyone, but only for stores with a sales area of over 200 m². This means that mainly large supermarkets, hobby shops, large electric stores or department stores fall within the scope of the law. Smaller shops can often be open, which also explains why small bed and breakfasts or family grocery stores tend to be open during the holidays.
The law also stipulates that the ban applies to selected public holidays, not all of them. The issue of Easter is significant. Although the keywords analysed, such as Easter opening hours, Good Friday shops or Good Friday opening hours, suggest that people are very keen on this topic, the law distinguishes between Good Friday (when shops can be open) and Easter Monday (when large shops are obliged to close).
The regulation therefore requires traders to be well informed. Breaking the law is not a marginal offence, there are heavy penalties and repeated breaches can make the situation much worse.
Are you at risk of a fine from the Czech Trade Inspection Authority or do you need help setting up your operating rules? We are here for you. We can help you assess whether you can be open during the holidays, advise you on setting up your operations and represent you in the event of an inspection.
The law specifies exactly seven days a year when large shops must be closed. These days are as follows:
In addition, there is a special regime for Christmas Eve, when shops must be closed from 12 noon. Morning traffic is therefore allowed, but the ban is no longer in force in the afternoon.
This regulation is also important for the public’s search guidance – enquiries about opening hours on public holidays and shop closures are very frequent.
Good Friday is also very much discussed. Although it is a public holiday, it is not included among the days on which shops must be closed. Therefore, there tend to be normal opening hours on Good Friday – which is why people often search for Good Friday shops or Good Friday opening hours. On the other hand, Easter Monday, which is also sought after (opening hours on Easter), is already one of the closure days.
The most important thing for the average shopper to remember is that the big shops are only closed on precisely listed days and that New Year’s Eve and Good Friday are not among them.
The law does not restrict all premises. The exceptions are crucial because they ultimately determine which shops can be open on public holidays. Typically, these are:
This part of the law has a huge impact in practice. It means that you can find a small convenience store open on a public holiday, but a large supermarket may not be open.
Electronic sales are not restricted at all. Internet commerce can operate at 100%. The bigger legal debate is only with dispensaries. The actual taking of the parcel tends to be considered a service, so it doesn’t usually breach the ban, but it depends on how the particular establishment operates.
It is essential for traders to be clear about their sales area and whether they fall within the exemption. Inspections are not exceptional and fines for selling on a public holiday can be high. In addition, it is not possible to rely on “everybody does it” as the interpretation of the rules is strict and inspectors can be uncompromising.
Tip: Sunday is a day of rest in Germany and all shops are closed on this day, with a few exceptions. However, the fully automated Tegut chain of stores remained open on Sunday, which displeased local unions and church groups. Read how the court ruled on whether robots are allowed to work on Sundays.
Compliance with the sales ban is controlled by the Czech Trade Inspection Authority (CTIA). If a shop breaks the ban and opens at a time when it is not allowed, it risks relatively high penalties:
The CTIA often inspects establishments randomly. Typical errors recorded by inspectors include:
From the entrepreneur’s point of view, it’s not just about the fine. Violations of the law can damage reputations, damage relationships with employees and lead to tighter controls. It is therefore always better to check in advance whether the rules apply to his shop.
Easter is one of the most common times when people look for information on opening hours. Terms such as Easter opening hours, Easter opening hours, Good Friday opening hours or Good Friday shops are among the most searched for in the long term.
Good Friday: Although many people assume that this is a day when shops are closed, this is not true. While Good Friday is a public holiday, it is not listed among the days on which shops must be closed. Therefore, most supermarkets, hobbymarkets and shopping centres have normal opening hours or slightly modified hours.
Easter Monday: the situation changes fundamentally two days later. Easter Monday is one of the public holidays when shops over 200 m² are obliged to be closed. This means that large shops do not open at all, while small shops or petrol stations operate as usual.
If you are planning a major purchase, it is advisable to make it at the latest on the weekend. Be prepared for Good Friday to be busier, as people often shop before Monday’s closure. Small shops or Vietnamese bed and breakfasts tend to operate as normal.
Thus, Easter is a combination of a fully open day (Good Friday) and a complete sales ban (Easter Monday), which is often a source of confusion.
Tip: Do you want to set up a stall, sell your own produce or snacks and earn a living, or do you want to make a little extra money while you go to school or nursery? Then you should know all the strict rules that apply to stall sales.
The Retail Hours of Sale Act obliges large shops with a sales area of over 200 m² to close on seven selected public holidays (1 January, Easter Monday, 8 May, 28 September, 28 October, 25 December and 26 December) and on Christmas Eve from 12 noon onwards; however, it does not apply to Good Friday, which is a normal operating day. Exceptions to the ban are small shops, petrol stations, pharmacies, airport and railway station premises, e-shops and service outlets. Violations of the rules are controlled by the CTIA and are punishable by a fine of up to CZK 1 million, or up to CZK 5 million for repeated violations. The ban applies only to the sale of goods, not to restaurants or cafes, and online sales are not restricted. It is crucial for businesses to correctly identify the sales area and mode of operation, as inspections tend to be strict and misconduct can have financial and reputational consequences.
Good Friday is a normal operating day, but on Easter Monday the big shops are obliged to close.
This is a decision of the legislator – only Easter Monday was included among the days of banned sales.
Usually not, because the dispensing of goods is considered a service. However, it depends on the particular form of service.
No. The ban only applies to the sale of goods, not the provision of services.
If they have less than 200 m², they may be open.
Fines of up to CZK 1 million, up to CZK 5 million for repeated violations.
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