Sunday trading outside the UK

[heart-of-wessex]

So I know some people who have to gripe that supermarkets are only open from 10-4 (and saying we are still living in the dark ages) but recently one of our coach drivers was talking to me about France, and said when he went, none of the supermarkets were open, and apart from tourist shops and restaurants, just about everything else was shut too. Apparently lorries aren't allowed on the road either (unless you are travelling through France from one country to another).

I've been to Gibraltar and noticed pretty much everything there was shut apart from Morrisons which was open from 1000 - 2000 or something.

I seem to recall not many things being open in Salzburg on a Sunday I was there. I know I wanted some cold relief tablets but no pharmacy, or nothing that had a pharmacy, was open, but I can't remember if the supermarket was.

What's the supermarkets like elsewhere bar the UK? Are we one of only a few that will have Supermarkets open, and a fair bit of shops too.


James.

 

[route101]

When i was in Munich nothing was open on a Sunday apart from at the airport or at the main train station and every 4th Saturday was the same.
I live in Scotland so i notice it when i go down south when the shops shut at 4 or 6 on a Sunday .

 

[class387]

If going to Europe on a short break, I deliberately avoid being there on a Sunday on the basis that nothing is open. This time in Vienna that wasn't possible, so I had to resort to going to a convinience store in the General Hospital for supplies.

 

[Domh245]

My experience of France is that it is pretty much all closed on Sunday, although there was a small Carrefour and a bakery that were open for a few hours on Sunday morning. With regards to lorries, I understand that they are banned from the autoroutes (but not the local roads) for 24 hours starting at 10pm on saturday, with exceptions if the cargo is perishable, refrigerated, and a few other cases.

 

[hexagon789]

So I know some people who have to gripe that supermarkets are only open from 10-4 (and saying we are still living in the dark ages) but recently one of our coach drivers was talking to me about France, and said when he went, none of the supermarkets were open, and apart from tourist shops and restaurants, just about everything else was shut too. Apparently lorries aren't allowed on the road either (unless you are travelling through France from one country to another).

I've been to Gibraltar and noticed pretty much everything there was shut apart from Morrisons which was open from 1000 - 2000 or something.

I seem to recall not many things being open in Salzburg on a Sunday I was there. I know I wanted some cold relief tablets but no pharmacy, or nothing that had a pharmacy, was open, but I can't remember if the supermarket was.

What's the supermarkets like elsewhere bar the UK? Are we one of only a few that will have Supermarkets open, and a fair bit of shops too.


James.

Italy, France, Jersey, Luxembourg, Spain, Switzerland certainly in all those places few shops/supermarkets were open on Sundays. In France, Italy and Switzerland it seemed to be entirely those in railway stations of the few that were open on Sundays.

Yet in a few countries on the continent sometimes the Sunday railway service is practically unchanged from Weekdays, Switzerland is a prime example.

 

[Busaholic]

It's not so long ago that England forbade Sunday trading (in the main) and, before that, much in the way of entertainment (e.g. nothing involving dancing) and, before that, any Sunday sport that involved paid admission. B*oody boring it was too! Having said that, I'm not for full 'liberalisation' either: I don't see why we can't have one day of the week that is a bit different, regardless of religious sensibilities.

 

[amateur]

Sundays are for worship

 

[Busaholic]

Sundays are for worship

For some people. Others worship on other days, many not at all.

 

[Cowley]

I must admit that I look back on everything in the U.K. being shut on a Sunday (and a Wednesday afternoon) with a certain amount of fondness...
That said, it is handy to be able to nip out to Screwfix and buy a new drill after burning yours out mixing plaster.
Mind you. If I couldn’t get another drill from Screwfix (other DIY stores are available, although I’d probably avoid B&Q if you want to buy something that actually lasts more than thirteen months or as long as it takes for you to lose the original receipt (let it go, let it go)).
I probably might’ve spent the afternoon lounging around in the garden. So stuff Sunday opening actually.

 

[bnm]

Sundays are for worship

So what we're you doing posting on this forum on 6th May, 29th April, 22nd April, 15th April...

 

[JonathanP]

I may be opening a can of worms here, but this is my take

In Germany everything is shut by law on Sundays, with the exception of Train Stations, Airports, bakeries, and for some reason florists. There are special arrangements for Pharmacies in case you need an emergency prescription. It's a bit of a pain, but you get used to it.

However, public transport runs pretty much same as on Saturdays, which is usually the same as Monday - Friday, without peak time additionals and very early trains(0400 - 0500).
Meanwhile, where my parents live in the UK there are NO buses on Sundays, even on routes which have 20+ departures per day Monday to Saturday, and the first train of the day at the local station moves from just past 6AM on Saturday, to a ludicrous 10AM, meaning by the time you've got anywhere it's nearly lunchtime. (Of course, that may not even run at all if no-one 'volunteers' to crew it).

Personally I'm quite happy to exchange public transport provision that makes it difficult to go really anywhere, and seems to be designed around the idea that only place people go on Sundays is their parish church, for not being able to shop on Sundays, but able to do anything else

 

[richw]

When I was in Crete the littlest shops were open a few hours Sunday morning. The big stuff all closed.
Tavernas were all open.
There was a weekday none of the shops reopened after their mid afternoon shut down neither,

 

[heart-of-wessex]

I may be opening a can of worms here, but this is my take

In Germany everything is shut by law on Sundays, with the exception of Train Stations, Airports, bakeries, and for some reason florists. There are special arrangements for Pharmacies in case you need an emergency prescription. It's a bit of a pain, but you get used to it.

However, public transport runs pretty much same as on Saturdays, which is usually the same as Monday - Friday, without peak time additionals and very early trains(0400 - 0500).
Meanwhile, where my parents live in the UK there are NO buses on Sundays, even on routes which have 20+ departures per day Monday to Saturday, and the first train of the day at the local station moves from just past 6AM on Saturday, to a ludicrous 10AM, meaning by the time you've got anywhere it's nearly lunchtime. (Of course, that may not even run at all if no-one 'volunteers' to crew it).

Personally I'm quite happy to exchange public transport provision that makes it difficult to go really anywhere, and seems to be designed around the idea that only place people go on Sundays is their parish church, for not being able to shop on Sundays, but able to do anything else

Thanks that is helpful actually!

I am planning a trip to Germany (Berlin) in September, was thinking of going on Sunday then coming back Friday.

On Sunday there's the option of a direct flight, or a longer one with a stop over in the day at Dusseldorf. I might make the Sunday the traveling day and take the stop over option for some plane spotting at Dusseldorf then get to Berlin at around 1700.

 

[najaB]

So I know some people who have to gripe that supermarkets are only open from 10-4 (and saying we are still living in the dark ages)...

Just to point out, supermarkets are open on Sundays in Scotland.

 

[Warwick]

Those of us of an age will remember shops opening on a weekday at 09.00, mostly closing for lunch 12.00 - 13.00 or so and closing at 17.00 - 17.30. A few little corner shops would open earlier and close later. Wednesdays (sometimes Thursdays) was half day closing at Lunchtime. Shops were closed on Sundays.
D'you know what? We survived.
The funniest tale I heard was from a chap I knew who worked for Eurostar who told me that in the first Christmas of operation a Sunday service was run on Boxing day which produced loads of French visitors. Apparently they couldn't understand why most everything was closed or not running, they not being aware of the uniqueness of the British Boxing day. To them - and apparently most all of Europe - December 26th is just another working day.

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

Our shops on Sundays in Melbourne are open 10-5. Chadstone and Melbourne Central being the exception with them staying open to 7pm.
Most major supermarkets are 6am-midnight or 7am-10pm.

 

[radamfi]

Italy, France, Jersey, Luxembourg, Spain, Switzerland certainly in all those places few shops/supermarkets were open on Sundays. In France, Italy and Switzerland it seemed to be entirely those in railway stations of the few that were open on Sundays.

Yet in a few countries on the continent sometimes the Sunday railway service is practically unchanged from Weekdays, Switzerland is a prime example.

And the trains actually carry passengers on Sunday. They don't run trains just for the sake of it. Shopping is a red herring and is largely irrelevant to discussions as to whether buses and trains should run on Sundays or holidays. Yet when the debate about Boxing Day trains and New Year's Day buses comes along each year, shopping is always discussed. There are other reasons to travel than shopping.

If shopping is so important, then why run buses and trains on Easter Sunday when most shops are closed by law?

 

[birchesgreen]

When I was in Crete the littlest shops were open a few hours Sunday morning. The big stuff all closed.
Tavernas were all open.
There was a weekday none of the shops reopened after their mid afternoon shut down neither,

Wednesday afternoon? Used to be the same here.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Supermarkets in Scotland aren't subject to restrictions on a Sunday. Equally in places like Jersey nothing opens.

My experience in Europe are that they don't open. I quite like that, actually. It's nice to give people a day off.

Sundays are for

Depends on a) whether you believe in sky fairies and b) what flavour of sky fairy you prefer. The original Abrahamic sky fairy wants you to worship on a Saturday.

 

[hexagon789]

And the trains actually carry passengers on Sunday.

Indeed, and just as busy as a weekday I'd say. Yet often here the Sunday service on many busy lines is poor to non-existent on Sundays, even where there might be the demand.

 

[90sWereBetter]

Sundays are for motorsport.

 

[D365]

Sundays are for motorsport.

Having watched Formula One on RTL today, I'm disappointed (to put it mildly) that Sunday trading restrictions do not apply to television advertisement.

 

[J-2739]

Supermarkets in Scotland aren't subject to restrictions on a Sunday. Equally in places like Jersey nothing opens.

My experience in Europe are that they don't open. I quite like that, actually. It's nice to give people a day off.



Depends on a) whether you believe in sky fairies and b) what flavour of sky fairy you prefer. The original Abrahamic sky fairy wants you to worship on a Saturday.

Bit disrespectful?

 

[najaB]

Bit disrespectful?

Not really. Wikipedia defines a fairy as:

A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature in European folklore, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural, or preternatural.

Which pretty much describes a god as well.

 

[Bald Rick]

I visit France most summers, and for the last 3 trips (Alps, Languedoc, Pyrenees) there has been at least one major supermarket open on a Sunday near where we stayed, and making a big thing of it too.

 

[Busaholic]

I visit France most summers, and for the last 3 trips (Alps, Languedoc, Pyrenees) there has been at least one major supermarket open on a Sunday near where we stayed, and making a big thing of it too.

Which suggests it's a new big thing.

 

[J-2739]

Not really. Wikipedia defines a fairy as:Which pretty much describes a god as well.

OK, if you see it like that then...

 

[Bald Rick]

Which suggests it's a new big thing.

agreed, albeit the first time was 3 years ago.

 

[whhistle]

The problem with this country is people want their cake and to eat it.

For many, having Christmas and Easter off is a right rather than remembering where it all stemmed from. Sunday trading is the same.

I see people who down tread on religion, but with that the Sunday trading hours should be eroded and this whole thing of having a "weekend" off may as well go because Sunday will just be like any other day. Sunday pay shouldn't be higher either.
OR accept we're from a Christian country and thus we should remember that and keep Sunday niceties.
Artic Troll's post is exactly this. Being a little rude/disrespectful yet liking the nice things Christianity brought us.

 

[radamfi]

Even where there are no regulations, a lot of shops simply choose not to open. In the Netherlands, some shops open later on Monday to make the weekend even longer.