KeepTalkingGreece — Shops in Greece can open 30 Sundays per year and not just eight as was agreed in the previous bailout agreement. However, professional associations of workers and employers react to the measure claiming the big stores will swallow up the small ones.
Shops will be open in tourist areas such as the centre of Athens, along the coast form Piraeus to Cape Sounion, in some areas of Piraeus, around Athens international airport and in some areas in Thessaloniki, Northern Greece.
The agreement reached between the Greek government and creditors on Thursday morning lifts floor space restrictions.
Opening the shops on Sunday is not obligatory.
There have been several objections by small shop owners who fear strong competition by big stores that can afford hiring extra personnel.
The president of Commercial Association of Athens, Nikolaos Kouyioumtzis, said that the measure has been promoted by chain stores and serves their interests. He recalled the OECD tool kit projections made three years ago, claiming that opening stores on Sunday would yield 2.5 billion euros. This has not been confirmed, because the turnover decreases year by year, the president of CAA stressed and added that 8 Sunday per year were enough given the recession and the economic crisis where the available income for consumption is shrinking month by month.
- Turnover has decreased by 50% since 2009
- 250,000 shops closed since 2009
- 8,500 shops closed since beginning of the year
Objections have been raised also by the union of retail employees who fear workers rights will be further eroded with a longer working week without overtime payment.
Economy minister, Dimitris Papadimitriou, told reporters that government does not agree with the measure. “We disagreed but this happens in most of the European countries and America. We could see it as modernization.”
“We should send 1 million unemployed for shopping therapy?” the chairman of GSEVEE wondered.
Whatever the outcome of the measure, there are currently mid spring sales from May 2 to May 15 2017.
