madinmex31

I expect this has been bought up before (sorry) but with the unemployment situation in Spain there is one change that I think could be helpful.

I have recently lived in Mexico for some considerable time and without doubt any shopping Mall, supermarkets and even the corner shop will tell you that there best shopping day is Sunday. It is difficult to find a parking space in the larger stores. They open around 9am (the malls a little later) and usually go on untill 9/11 pm non stop. I cannot understand why most here close on a Sunday. Maybe some of the much larger cities do open, haven't visited them yet. Back in the 60's I found the same problem in Gib and I believe their siesta was even longer then. Last Sunday I passed the usual Asia/ China store which was approx 75 % full whilst the local town shops were closed !

It is certainly not for me to tell the Spanish people how to run there lives or alter their tradition but in these economic times maybe some changes may be beneficial.

Every little helps

megmet

I think you will find that in the summer months especially on the Costa's the supermarkets at least will be open.

Personally I feel that places like Mercadona (who refuse to open Sundays) have the right idea.
Here in Spain with the working hours being so different to some other countries, it's not too difficult for the majority of people to shop on the other six days of the week.
Opening on Sundays can and often does put pressure on the shop staff to work, this is unfair on the family unit in so far as it impinges on the quality time that they should be able to enjoy together, at least one day a week in my opinion.

JLFS

Also with the strict contract rules for employees in Spain, Sunday opening would force a lot of business to close, due to the fact of having to either pay extra staffing costs or close on Sunday when the competition is open.

Each person/family has only X amount of money to spend per week/month, so instead of spending it in 6 days it will take 7 days if everywhere opens on Sundays.

There will be no more money coming in, but extra costs involved.

As for the social aspect of the workers involved, that has been covered, as Meg said at least one day a week should be set aside for families.

lynnxa

you're right - there wouldn't be any more money to spend - so I can't see how that would help, either

I love the fact that Sunday isn't 'shopping day'

recently in the UK we went to Tesco on a Sunday morning - it was heaving & we were in theer 2 hours just to get a weekly shop

I hated every second of it and by the time we got back none of us could be bothered to prepare a nice lunch & ended up with pizza

I love my relaxed Sundays here - late breakfast/brunch after a lie in, followed by a very late lunch with no major bursts of activity in betweeen...........unless we really want to - not because we have to

pwwm

I also love the way Sunday is still a rest day, as a prevous poster has said, the same money will be speant just spread over 7 days not 6.

Around here it is strict 6 days summer exactly the same. No lets keep Spain the way it is re shopping anyway

paintermujer

I love the lazy sunday feeling also. What I dont get done during the week can wait for the next week.

Rosemary

There is no reason at all for Spain to change. The Spanish people view Sundays as the family day and value the time they spend with their family. As others have said opening the shops on a Sunday does not generate more money so what is the point of the exercise.

Personally I love the fact that their lives have a pattern which includes time to relax, talk and enjoy a good meal with the family and would not want commerce to alter that.

Rosemary

johnnyone

I wish Sunday closing was brought back in the UK. Every day is now the same.

Lynn R

I'm happy with shops being closed on Sundays in Spain, as others have said it's no hardship, gives workers a set day off with their families, and makes the day feel quieter and more relaxed.

However, I think more shops are now allowed to open on Sundays in the centre of Malaga, largely because of the numbers of cruise passengers who are now around.

amideislas

My main peeve with limited opening hours is that most people only have time to shop on Saturdays, which makes the experience very frustrating - no parking spaces, the crowds, the queues, the pushing and shoving...

And from a macro view, to regulate opening hours and labour policy this way discourages competition and free enterprise and doesn't really benefit anyone. It results in fewer jobs, limited consumer choice, and like much of the well-intentioned regulation of our lives, ultimately serves to undermine the population's opportunities for prosperity in general.

Unfortunately, it's not your choice. It's the choice of faceless bureaucrats who historically haven't proven particularly successful at delivering prosperity to the population. In fact, quite the opposite, yet your life is increasingly under their control...

Look, if you don't like shopping on Sunday, then don't do it.
In a free society, it should be your choice.

jackytoo

I like shops to be open all the time. Rarely shop Sundays but just incase I don't think it stops family life, everywhere is full on Sundays, restaurants, leisure centres etc. Football pitches are full. Some shop others don't, room for all tastes

Is it for religious reasons that Spain doesn't open?

Domino

Sorry, but I actually like the day with everything closed. Well, there are the occaisional tapas bars that open for lunches, but otherwise, even the mini-supermarkets are all locked tight.

This is Spain, it has a deep rooted Catholic tradition of one day of rest. Who are we to change it just because we forgot to get some milk


however, I cannot get my head round the 4, 6 or even 8 weeks some shops are shut in the middle of the summer whilst the owners take their family to the cortijo out in the country.

amideislas

I suspect so. The church has always had its fingers in European politics, and like most legislation imposed here, it is primarily a revenue opportunity rather than some rightious moral religious sentiment.

In Germany it most definitely is, since the Vatican has a very powerful lobby in German politics. Your shop can be open on sundays, but only when you buy a very expensive permit, much of which goes to the church. It's illegal to wash a car on Sunday, and the fine is €40. Lots of things are subject to fines on Sunday in Germany (except drinking, of course).

In fact, the German tax system generates a huge portion of the church's wealth by collecting a quite expensive church tax or kirchensteuer on behalf of the church.

madinmex31

I must admit that I was not aware of regulations governing Sunday shopping. Mexico, like Spain, is a very religious country but as mentioned in my opening post Sunday is the busiest day of the week.

Tradition is fine in normal circumstances but two days ago Spain registered the highest unemployment in the Eurozone. Almost a quarter of the working population unemployed. I guess tourism is one of Spains largest incomes and it must be frustrating for a large amount of tourists to find the city centres shopping areas closed.

I totally disagree with the statement made that Sunday opening will not generate extra money (and extra employment) otherwise places like Tescos (for example) would not open. In fact having worked for a short spell there I can assure you that extra staff were taken on and business was very good.

My main point is not necessarily regarding supermarkets, although they come into the equation, but the shopping malls etc. As pointed out above people have the choice to have a family get together or visit the stores (or both) For those working six days a week I feel sure that deregulating Sunday opening would be welcome and also provide jobs for at least some of the unemployed.

Just my opinion

lynnxa

Ah - but in tourist areas shops DO open on Sundays

perhaps not all shops all year round, but certianly in tourist season they tend to - even our supermarkets (though not I think Mercadona)

I really don't see how the shops opening will generate extra money though - if people don't have it in the first place, how can they spend it?