Supermarkets, hobby markets, and other large stores in the Czech Republic will be closed on Easter Monday, April 1st. However, people will shop as usual on Good Friday, as the sales ban does not apply to this holiday.
Even Makro stores will not open on Easter Monday, even though they are considered a wholesaler and could remain open by law. On Monday, only larger supermarkets at train stations or airports, exceptions by law, will be open, as well as petrol stations or pharmacy shops.
As people are accustomed to, for bread and other sundries, they can head to convenience stores and other shops up to 200 square meters in area, for which the ban does not apply.
The sales restriction on selected holidays applies to bazaars, collection points, or pawnshops, regardless of size. If second-hand shops or car dealerships open, owners face fines from the Czech Trade Inspection Authority.
The law’s authors justified the ban by saying it is redundant goods people can buy at another time. Deputies Pavel Staněk and Jan Bureš of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) have proposed to the Chamber of Deputies to repeal the 2016 Retail Sales Time Act.
“Does it make sense for consumers to look for whether the current state holiday is the one when it should be closed and whether it applies to their specific shop?” Staněk argued. The Christian Democrats strongly objected to this, saying they would only support extending the sales ban to all holidays. The current coalition is unlikely to agree on changes by the end of its term.