Biznes Fakty
Easter Monday. Which stores are open?
Trading is prohibited on Easter Monday, meaning that the majority of shops in Poland will be closed on April 21, 2025. There are some exceptions defined by the regulations. We clarify where shopping is possible on the second day of Easter.
As a result of laws banning trade on Sundays and public holidays, most stores, including major retail chains, will be closed on Easter Monday.
Are shops open on Easter Monday?
However, the law does provide for certain exceptions. Small local shops may remain open for business. According to the regulations, these establishments can operate if the owner is present at the counter and serving customers.
The regulations list 32 exceptions. The trade ban does not include postal services, provided that the revenue from these services constitutes at least 40 percent of the overall sales revenue of the establishment. Additionally, it does not apply to confectioneries, ice cream shops, fuel stations, flower shops, newsstands, or cafés.
Some franchise stores may also operate under special permits. On Easter Monday, outlets of certain chains, such as Żabka, Carrefour Express, or Lewiatan, might be open. Nonetheless, it is advisable to verify the operating hours of specific stores beforehand, as they might differ from the norm.
Self-service kiosks and 24-hour unmanned stores are also exempt from holiday restrictions.
Sunday and public holiday trading ban
The legislation that gradually introduced a ban on Sunday trading took effect on March 1, 2018. Since 2020, the trade ban has only not applied on seven Sundays annually: the last Sundays of January, April, June, and August, as well as the Sunday before Easter. Following the latest amendment, the restrictions do not apply to three (previously two) consecutive Sundays leading up to Christmas.
Violating the Sunday trading ban can result in fines ranging from PLN 1,000 to PLN 100,000, and for repeated violations of the regulations, a penalty of restriction of liberty may be imposed.
The new regulations came into effect
On February 1, an amendment was enacted, establishing December 24 as a day off for all employees, including those in retail, who previously – according to the Act on Restrictions on Sunday and Public Holiday Trade – were required to work until 2 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Starting this year, the three Sundays leading up to Christmas Eve will be commercial. The amendment also stipulates that a retail employee cannot work more than two Sundays in December.
At the end of December last year, President Andrzej Duda chose to submit the act regarding a free Christmas Eve to the Constitutional Tribunal for further scrutiny. The president’s concerns center around the introduction of an additional working Sunday in December for trade employees.
Trade ban. Special Sundays
There are six Sundays remaining this year when the trade ban will not be enforced. These will occur in 2025: April 27, June 29, August 31, December 7, December 14, and December 21.
Sunday shopping in 2025
