In 2025, for the first time, Christmas Eve will be a public holiday. This was due to a change that was adopted at the end of 2024.
As the Polish Council of Shopping Centers (PRCH) reminded, December 24 will be a public holiday for the first time in history, which means that “last minute” shopping will not be possible. On that day, stores – regardless of whether they are chains such as Lidl, Biedronka, Dino or Auchan, or small shops and local shops – will be closed.
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PRCH recommends using commercial Sundays – there are three of them in December – as an alternative to Saturdays. He advises to avoid rush hours, which are usually in the afternoons in shopping centers on weekends.
He also suggests that customers think about commuting to stores and points out that during rush hours in the largest shopping centers, public transport may turn out to be faster than by car. In addition, it is also worth checking the opening hours – many facilities extend their opening hours, allowing shopping late in the evening.
Will stores be open on Christmas Eve? The first such situation in history
The Council encourages customers not to leave their purchases until the last minute and to take advantage of the availability of stores throughout the pre-Christmas and December weekends.
The act gradually introducing the Sunday trading ban entered into force on March 1, 2018. From 2020, the trading ban does not apply only on seven Sundays a year: the last Sundays of January, April, June and August, on the Sunday before Easter, and after the amendment also on the three subsequent Sundays before Christmas.
See also: Three trading Sundays in December. Biedronka changes opening hours
The act restricting trade on Sundays provides for a catalog of 32 exceptions. The ban does not include, among others: postal activity, if the revenues from this activity constitute at least 40 percent. revenues from the sale of a given facility. Moreover, it does not apply to confectioneries, ice cream parlors, liquid fuel stations, flower shops, newsagents or cafes.
The penalty for breaking the Sunday trading ban is PLN 1,000 to PLN 100,000. PLN fine, and in case of persistent violation of the regulations – penalty of restriction of liberty.
On February 1, an amendment entered into force providing for the establishment of December 24 as a day off for all employees, including employees of commercial establishments, for whom until now – in accordance with the Act on Restriction of Trade on Sundays and Holidays – Christmas Eve was a working day until 2 p.m. The amendment also provides that in December, a retail employee will not be able to work more than two Sundays.
