W Polsce once again, a new proposal to limit shopping hours on Saturdays has sparked controversy. Posłanka Marcelina Zawisza from the Razem party has suggested reducing the working hours of shops on Saturdays, citing the need to provide more comfort to employees. However, this proposal has been met with strong opposition from retail organizations, who warn of negative consequences for consumers.
According to Renata Juszkiewicz, President of the Polish Organization of Trade and Distribution (POHiD), limiting shopping hours on Saturdays would be detrimental to consumers. „Consumers want to shop at convenient times, and already over half of Poles support the return of Sunday trading,” she emphasizes.
The POHiD warns that such restrictions would lead to a decrease in shop revenues, limit job opportunities, and make it harder for consumers to access goods. There is also a risk of price increases due to higher operational costs.
Alfred Bujara from Solidarność has gone even further, proposing a return to pre-pandemic shopping hours, where shops would close at 9 pm on weekdays and 6-7 pm on Saturdays. „This is not about employees’ comfort, but about common sense,” he argues.
The POHiD is concerned about the economic consequences of such restrictions and hopes that the proposal will be abandoned. The final decision will likely be the result of further consultations between the government, trade unions, and retail representatives.
As the debate rages on, one thing is certain: the fate of Saturday shopping hours hangs in the balance, and consumers are waiting with bated breath.
