This decision sounds interesting. Is there a religious reason or(and) a economical altogether?
Is there a way to access more on this, just to understand their rational on this issue?

By Tarcizio Carvalho | September 8, 2009 3:19 PM

The government is losing ALOT of revenue by not allowing all retailers to be open on Sunday. I'm sure the shops would love to get that extra money they could make...oh well...such is life...

By lb | September 8, 2009 3:29 PM

It must be relief to owners that their pubs, coffee shops and brothels will still be allowed to open on Sundays as usual. 'Man, after all, does not live by bread alone', or so I read somewhere.

By Michael Dawkes | September 8, 2009 3:47 PM

crazy government.

The governments in europe, of couse also in U.S., are getting more and more power.

By NL | September 8, 2009 3:49 PM

makes one wonder what their real agenda is- close the shops to allow us to 'rest'? If people wanted to rest- they would opt not to work on Sundays, or not to shop. This would be any day they choose.
Seems to me the real agenda is first a push for Sunday shop closing, to slowly bring the country in line with making Sunday the national day or rest/ worship. Google sunday laws! Keep your eyes open!

By Karen | September 8, 2009 3:53 PM

Taking advantage of a crisis to further defile a community or group of people (i.e. store workers) used to be considered mean-spirited and could get a politician fired at the next election.

Now it's just the way our corporo-fascist world works - more fake money, more toxic consumption - feudalism 2.0

Why keep any kind of customary day of rest or for that matter, any other tradition that impinges on consumerism when there are 100-euro slave-made shoes to be bought at the faceless chain store 7 days a week?

By Prince Burnhard | September 8, 2009 4:01 PM

They just don't get it do they? The whole idea of separating people from their cash, as a BUSINESS transaction that benefits everyone.
Why FORCE working people into this Saturday shopping spree of misery. AH on Saturday at 5PM will be even a WORSE hell.

By EX-PAT | September 8, 2009 4:15 PM

to hell with the religious zealots, not everyone is religious, infact there are more non religious ppl than religious so deal with it, ahh democracy, Sunday trading is needed in these trying times is it not

By adhd | September 8, 2009 5:00 PM

A Lot more retail competitiveness is what is require in Holland. The shops close on Sundays and then half of Monday is a write off.

By Mike | September 8, 2009 7:32 PM

Delaying this clamp down because of the recession is wrong, it should be delayed because it is unbelievably stupid. If christian fundamentalists want Sunday to be a day of rest, then they can choose not to work or shop. Forcing their point of view onto the rest of the population is just plain immoral and contrary to the message their saviour espoused.

By Marc | September 9, 2009 9:11 AM

Sure why not just go all out and say 24 hour shopping 7 days a week and then like Karen said people can do what they want when they want. Its seems to work in Ireland and England, oh wait it doesnt. Anybody who wants all the shops open on a Sunday is just stupid or lazy. I love having come from Ireland that if i need something from a supermarket on a Sunday I should have gone on Saturday. Or else its a big deal to go to AH in town where its busy. Or i can pay more for it in a Nachtshop. Another thing I liked about The Netherlands is the whole im working saturday so im taking a half day monday thing. Thats cool. Spend some time with your family or go to a park or just do nothing. Its great. For me anyway its about working to live not living to work.

By langer | September 9, 2009 9:22 AM

Apparently this cabinet gets its vision from Little House on the Prairie! Who keeps electing these mopes?

By J. | September 9, 2009 9:34 AM

Sorry but just because some people are religious or work too hard is not valid grounds to force businesses to close. A business should be open (not 24/7) but I say from 10am to 10pm. sounds fair to me. It is not like people will be forced to work a twelve hour day. they hire staff to take portions of the day like what is already customary.

The whole problem is that these incredibly early closing times are only here because of tradition. Holland needs to step out of the underwear of its forefathers and really modernize its country. Do not lose touch with culture of course, but if if they did not modernize in the past then beating children in school because they passed gas would still be customary

By Rhys | September 9, 2009 10:20 AM

The church has been responsible for a no trading on Sundays for years. They want to encourage people to go to church, and not go shopping. The Christian Democrats are the worst party I've ever experienced in the last 30 years here. In that respect, yes, even the Netherlands has it's share of desert dogma. If the shops are open every Sunday, the collection plate will not be full, think about that one, it's not healthy to let the church continually interfere with our politics, Sunday shopping, sex lives or anything else come to think of it..Toch???

By stevie | September 9, 2009 1:59 PM

That's something I miss about home (America). I could go shopping at walmart or a grocery store at 3am if I so choose! It really is HELL to shop at a grocery store on a Saturday in NL.

I feel like living here is decades in the past with being closed on Sundays and half of Monday. One store here is closed on Tuesdays. One store is open from time a to time b and them from time x to time z. Everyone sets their own hours here and it only confuses consumers. Also nothing like going to a supermarket on a tuesday at 9:30am and you can't buy the basics like milk, bread, or meat. Why don't they restock before opening their doors?!

By Laura | September 9, 2009 3:37 PM

Who enjoys not being able to shop for something, especially emergency needs, when he needs it? When I heard that Sunday shopping might be limited more, I couldn't believe it. Obviously these government ministers don't have to do their own shopping. I have a small baby and have experienced a lot of headaches - if the baby is sleeping or I am at work I cannot go shopping then. Then as soon as I am done at work or the baby wakes up, the shops are closed! Then I discover that we are out of some baby things! Just let shops be open whenever, 24/7 or whatever, who cares. As long as we make sure that there are employee protections against abuse (like limit working time to max 38 hours per week, etc.), then there is no harm and our quality of life goes up.

By Matt | September 9, 2009 6:35 PM

I am not religious in any way, but I support the idea of making one day per week 'special' (call it a day of rest, if you must). I come from England where in the last few years it has become impossible to go out for a day visit or a cycle ride without getttings snarled up in the 'normal' or worse than normal traffic with everyone going to the shops. WHY? What do people all need to buy on Sunday? Why cant they get organised and buy what they need on one of the other 6 days a week?Is there any evidence that people actually buy things they would not have bought if the shops were shut on a Sunday? Sunday in England has become a nightmare!! Don't let it happen here too.

By Clauds | September 10, 2009 12:41 PM

24/7 shops = less unemployment = more tax = a stronger economy.

I wish we had an intelligent government, separate from the church, that we could trust and take pride in, I really mean that sincerely.

By stevie | September 10, 2009 2:17 PM

at clauds..maybe because all the other days we are working? except from SUnday? people working in the shops could be given another day off..make it saturday, friday..but one that does not coincide with when the majority works.

By kos | September 10, 2009 7:42 PM