The 2016 Sales Hours Act prohibits retail stores larger than 200 m² from operating on national holidays, but this restriction doesn’t apply to all holidays. During the July 5th and 6th national holidays, stores can remain open as these days are exempt from the ban.
This July brings two significant national holidays. First, on July 5th, Czechs commemorate the Day of Slavic Missionaries Cyril and Methodius, apostles from Thessaloniki who established the foundations of Slavic Orthodoxy in the ninth century. The following day, July 6th, honors the Day of Jan Hus’s Martyrdom, commemorating the prominent theologian and church reformer whose teachings sparked the Hussite movement and initiated church reforms. Hus was burned at the stake in Constance on July 6, 1415.
This year, these holidays fall on Saturday and Sunday. Neither holiday is subject to the restricted sales hours legislation, meaning stores will be open on both days. However, it’s advisable to verify the opening hours of specific stores on their websites, as no law mandates holiday operations.
The Czech Republic maintains a distinct division between holidays when stores must close and those when they can remain open. Stores must close on January 1st, Easter Monday, May 8th, September 28th, October 28th, December 25th, and December 26th. Meanwhile, they can operate during Good Friday, May 1st, July 5th, July 6th, and November 17th. On December 24th, stores may only remain open until noon.
For shoppers planning their weekend activities, this means retail therapy remains an option despite the national holidays. With both commemorative days falling on a weekend this year, many will appreciate the convenience of normal shopping hours during this holiday period.