Supermarkets fed up with Sunday shopping rules

Supermarkets have had enough of the strict rules governing Sunday opening. In 2010, 30 supermarkets went to court because of unfair distribution of Sunday shopping, and the number is rising, the AD reports.


Local councils decide which shops can open on which Sundays and supermarkets say they are losing custom to competitors.
The law on shop opening times says supermarkets can open every Sunday in tourist areas, but that only one supermarket per 15,000 local people can open in other areas.
Councils decide on the basis of a lottery or first-come-first-served. Some even use a rotation system, with one supermarket allowed to open on Sundays for a year.
Feelings are now running so high that Albert Heijn in Veendam paid a fine of €150,000 for opening on a Sunday rather than give Jumbo free reign.
Figures from sector organisation CBL underline what is at stake. In 2009 €300m was spent in supermarkets on Sundays. Last year that figure had risen to €364m.
The CBL says the problem would be solved if councils had control of the Sunday opening regulations.

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