Poland: The ban on trade and trade-related activities on Sundays entered into force as of January 2020

From 2018, the ban on trade and trade-related activities on Sundays, as well as the ban on entrusting employees and workers with trade and trade-related activities on Sundays was gradually introduced. At the beginning of 2020, the ban came into full force, and those who break the ban by entrusting employees and workers with trade and trade-related activities on Sundays might be subject to a fine between PLN 1,000.00 and PLN 100,000.00.

Legal provisions still provide for exceptions to the ban on trade and trade-related activities on Sundays, as well as the ban on entrusting employees and workers with trade and trade-related activities on Sundays, including trade at petrol stations, pharmacies and pharmacy outlets, animal healthcare facilities, commercial outlets where the predominant subject of trade is souvenir or devotional, the press, public transport tickets, tobacco products, games of chance coupons, as well as in post offices and hotel establishments, pharmaceutical wholesalers and funeral parlors. The trade and trade-related activities will still be allowed to take place on the two following Sundays directly preceding the first day of Christmas, on the Sunday directly preceding the first day of Easter, and the last Sunday of January, April, June and August, provided that there is no public holiday on those days.

For more information on these articles or any other issues involving labour and employment matters in Poland, please contact Prof. Arkadiusz Sobczyk (Partner) of A. Sobczyk & Wspolpracownicy at arkadiusz.sobczyk@sobczyk.com.pl or visit www.sobczyk.com.pl.