Record number of Dutch municipalities to allow shops to open on Sunday for Christmas

By

Shomara Roosblad

Published
Dec 19, 2017

According to sector association, Detailhandel Nederland (Retail Netherlands), 85 percent of Dutch municipalities will allow shops to open their doors on Sunday 24 December, the Sunday before Christmas, a record number.

In September, Detailhandel Nederland appealed Dutch retailers to expand shopping hours in regard of large Christmas shopping crowds. Since Christmas falls on Monday and Tuesday this year (the Netherlands celebrates two days of Christmas), Sunday will be the last possible day to buy gifts and groceries.

Many municipalities have responded to the call from Detailhandel Nederland to expand the shopping hours. In some municipalities, retailers are able to open stores in the morning because of the Christmas rush. In the Dutch city of Harderwijk this year’s expected Christmas crowds is the reason that a Sunday opening has been allowed for the first time in the city’s history. The city of Zwolle has also agreed to a Sunday opening for Christmas.

In general, about 60 percent of Dutch municipalities allow retailers to open on (almost) every Sunday of the year. In 25 percent of Dutch municipalities shops open occasionally. For example, every last Sunday of the month, including the last Sunday before Christmas.

Sander van Golberdinge, director of Detailhandel Nederland, said: “The month of December is not only the busiest time of the year for some retailers, but can also mean the difference between profits and loss.”

A number of municipalities, however, still resist Sunday store openings. This is the mainly the case for cities located in the Dutch Bible Belt. In the town Geldermalsen, for example, the local council forbids storeowners to open on the Sunday before Christmas. On 14 December, local newspaper De Gelderlander reported that retailers who consider opening their store risk a fine or even imprisonment for violating the Winkeltijdenwet (Shop Hours Act). The majority of the local council in Geldermalsen cites ‘Sunday rest’ as the reason to keep stores closed on Sunday.

Detailhandel Nederland still urges municipalities to allow a shopping Sunday for Christmas. The organization argues that retailers otherwise have to close for three days in a row, which consumers are no longer used to. Additionally, the sector association claims that it is important to spread the shopping crowds in stores and reduce parking problems during the peak on Saturday.