Two thirds of Czechs would not mind if shops had to close on Sundays and national holidays. Only 13 percent, mainly young people aged under 24 years, and Prague citizens would object to such a change in rules, according to a poll of 1,000 Czechs carried out by KPMG. Later this month, the Upper House of the Czech parliament will debate a proposal for banning Sunday shopping that’s been put forward by the Social Democrats.
The poll found greater acceptance of outlawing shopping on national holidays than on Sundays. Women are reportedly more open to the change, with only one in ten strictly against it, while one fifth of men reject it. In Prague, almost half of those polled came out against store closings, while 75 percent of those in the Hradec Králové region would accept it.
Makro Cash & Carry warns that small businesses would be hit the worst, especially restaurants which see their highest traffic during the weekends and on holidays.
