Document 243 - Amendment to the Act on Retail Sales Hours

Published date: 30.06.2026 |Processed date: 30.06.2026 |Session 10

Submitters: Marek Výborný, Petr Hladík, František Talíř

Summary

Scope: Part One–Part Two; § 1; pages 1–10.

The bill amends the rules governing retail opening hours so that sales in larger stores are prohibited on all national holidays and, newly, on other specified holidays as well. Compared to the current regulations, the ban is extended in particular to Good Friday, May 1, July 5 and 6, and November 17; the rules for December 24 from 12:00 p.m. to midnight, as well as the existing exceptions, remain in effect. The goal is to establish a simpler and clearer rule for consumers, business owners, and employees, and to strengthen the tradition of collective time off on holidays. The proposed effective date is January 1, 2027.

Topics

Additional documents

Additional document 1

Government Opinion on Print No. 243/0

Processed date: 28.07.2026

Scope: pages 1–2.

The government has taken a negative stance on the parliamentary proposal to extend the ban on sales in larger stores to include additional holidays. It states that the current regulation, in place since 2016, represents a stable compromise between the protection of employees and families, freedom of enterprise, and consumer interests, and that any such change should result from a broader expert and political debate. It also criticizes the insufficient assessment of the proposal’s impact on sales, employees, and consumers, and warns against restricting competition by giving certain stores an unfair advantage.