Retail in Greece: Which shops will open on Sundays and which have a “free pass”

The operation of the shops for 8 Sundays a year nationwide and up to 32 Sundays in Athens, Thessaloniki, areas of Piraeus and the southern suburbs of Attica, as well as the Spata park, is provided for by the bill of the Ministry of Development and Investments which was submitted to the Parliament for a vote .

In essence, the first Sunday of May and the first Sunday of November are added each year, replacing the two Sundays during the abolished intermediate discount periods, in which the optional operation of commercial stores was foreseen.

Also, the decision on the optional operation of commercial and other stores, except those clearly defined by law, on Sundays now passes from the regionally competent deputy governor to the mayors of the country.

On which Sundays are the shops open?

In particular, the optional operation of commercial shops and service shops is allowed on the following Sundays:

a) On the first Sunday at the start of each discount period. In case the first Sunday coincides with a public holiday, the possibility is provided on the following Sunday.

b) On the two Sundays before Christmas Day.

c) Palm Sunday.

d) On the last Sunday of each year.

e) On the first Sunday of May and the first Sunday of November, and if they coincide with a public holiday, the immediately following Sunday that does not coincide with a public holiday.

Also, the optional operation of commercial stores is allowed on Sundays in the period from May to October, except for the second Sunday in August, in the following areas:

a) the Municipality of Athens, and

b) in areas of the Municipality of Piraeus, the Regional Unit of the South Sector of Athens, the historical center of Thessaloniki, and in the area around the International Airport of Athens and in the Business Park of Gialos-Agios Dimitrios-Pyrgos in the Municipality of Spata of the Region of Attica.

In case the second Sunday of August coincides with a public holiday, the exception is postponed to the previous Sunday.

In addition, with a reasoned decision of the locally competent mayor, which is issued after consultation with local and collective bodies and is valid from the following year from its publication, the areas in which the operation of commercial stores is optionally allowed and other Sundays, except for the 8 mentioned, taking into account the local peculiarities related to the economic activity of the area.

Regarding the opening hours on Sundays, shops are allowed to be open from 11:00 to 20:00, while the employment of workers is paid in accordance with the provisions of the labor law, which define additional remuneration for work on Sundays.

Workers employed in shops on Sundays are additionally granted a mandatory rest day on another day of the same week.

What about opening hours?

In the bill, in addition to the Sunday service, the scattered provisions regarding the opening hours of commercial stores and service providers are brought together and updated.

Specifically in article 18 it is provided that shops and outlets providing services to consumers are allowed to operate, in compliance with labor legislation, from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., from Monday to Saturday and Sundays, except following days:

a) the first day of the year (New Year’s Day),

b) on the day of the Feast of the Epiphany (January 6),

c) on Clean Monday (movable holiday),

d) the day of the celebration of the Greek Revolution of 1821 (March 25),

e) Easter Sunday and Monday (movable holiday),

f) on the day of the Labor Day celebration (May 1),

g) on the day of the celebration of the Assumption of the Virgin (August 15),

h) the day of the celebration of the anniversary of “Ochi-No” and the start of the Greco-Italian War of 1940 in the context of World War II (October 28),

i) Christmas Day and the day after (December 25th and 26th).

Which stores are open 24/7?

The shops and outlets providing services to consumers that are allowed to operate, in compliance with labor legislation, at all hours of the day and on all days of the week, are as follows:

a) restaurants of all kinds,

b) refreshment stands, canteens, wine cellars, nut retail stores,

c) photographer’s shops,

d) establishments offering entertainment programs of all kinds,

e) hotels,

f) pastry shops, dairies and related shops,

g) florists,

h) gas stations,

i) retail kiosks,

j) stores and facilities that operate in the areas of the Central Markets,

k) stores that are classified as very small entities, according to articles 2 and 3 of article 2 of Law 4308/2014 (A’ 251), in municipal districts with a permanent population of less than five thousand (5,000) inhabitants,

l) funeral homes.

In areas of touristic or cultural interest where there is an increased population burden, it is additionally permitted, by decision of the Minister of Development and Investments, issued following a proposal of the Municipality or Municipalities to which the area is administratively subordinated, or of the Minister of Shipping and Island Policy for areas belonging to in the land zone of a port or of the Minister of Tourism for areas belonging to the land zone of a tourist port, the operation of the following shops at all hours and days of the week:

a) bakeries,

b) fruit shops and grocery stores,

c) butchers,

d) fishmongers,

e) hypermarkets and smaller shops selling basic necessities (mini-markets and super-markets),

f) stores classified as very small entities.

An extra day for trade fairs

Finally, the maximum duration of traditional outdoor trade fairs is extended by one day, from seven to eight.

In particular, the duration of religious short-day festive markets, anniversary, cultural, seasonal markets and trade fairs cannot exceed five consecutive days, with the exception of traditional trade fairs which are held once a year and can last up to eight days.