Ruqayyah Snyder
In Austria, stores are generally closed on Sundays and public holidays, with a few exceptions. This can be surprising to immigrants from countries with 24/7 services and has been described as a cultural shock. The tradition of keeping shops closed on Sundays is deeply rooted in the country's culture, with the day being considered a rest day or a day for family, culture, and nature. Austrians typically do their grocery shopping after work or on Saturdays and spend Sundays enjoying the outdoors.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for shops being closed on Sundays | Sunday is a day for relaxation, family time, and nature |
| Sunday is a holy day and a rest day | |
| To preserve the Austrian quality of life | |
| Exceptions | Stores that sell food and essential household items (bakeries, convenience stores, and pharmacies) with a sales area of less than 400 square meters |
| Stores open for cultural or entertainment purposes (museums, theaters, and cinemas) | |
| Grocery stores at Prater, Franz-Josef, Landstrasse, and Westbahnhof train stations | |
| Shops in transit areas, such as train stations | |
| Bakery businesses and gas stations | |
| Shops in tourist areas, and during events or "special occasions" | |
| Opening hours for exceptions | Generally between 6 am and 7 pm |
| Compensation for employees working on Sundays | Entitled to extra pay or a compensatory day off |
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What You'll Learn
Sunday is a rest day
The idea of keeping shops closed on Sundays is to preserve the Austrian quality of life. It is a day for family, culture, nature, and rest. Austrians do their grocery shopping after work or on Saturdays and spend Sundays enjoying life, often in nature. The country has many parks, trails, and gardens that locals can visit, most of them free of charge.
There are a few exceptions to the rule, including bakeries, gas stations, pharmacies, and shops in transit areas, such as train stations and airports. Stores that are open for cultural or entertainment purposes, like museums, theatres, and cinemas, are also allowed to operate on Sundays. These exceptions have strict rules regarding opening hours and conditions for operation, and employees who work on Sundays are entitled to extra pay or a compensatory day off.
During the pandemic, shops were allowed to open on Sundays in December 2021 to make up for lost sales. However, this was a one-off exception, and authorities and workers' unions reiterated that it should not be seen as a move towards general Sunday openings.
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Sunday is a holy day
Austria is a highly religious country, with Christianity as its predominant religion. The Austrian Church has long protected Sunday's status as a "rest day", and the day is considered sacred by much of the population. This sentiment was echoed in the media when, in December 2021, shops were allowed to open on a Sunday for the first time in decades to make up for lost sales during the pandemic. The media described this as a "sacred cow" being "killed", demonstrating the country's reverence for keeping Sundays holy.
The idea of Sunday as a day of rest is deeply ingrained in Austrian culture, with many polls and surveys reflecting this sentiment. Austrians view Sunday as a day to relax, spend time with family, and enjoy nature. This is also reflected in the types of establishments that are allowed to remain open on Sundays, including museums, theatres, and cinemas, which encourage cultural and entertainment activities.
Additionally, certain essential stores are permitted to operate on Sundays, such as bakeries, convenience stores, and pharmacies, ensuring that basic needs are met while still preserving the day as a rest day. These exceptions also include shops in transit areas, such as train stations, and federal states can make exceptions for serving commuters, tourist areas, and special events. However, even these exempt businesses have strict rules regarding opening hours and conditions for operation on Sundays, with limited hours and employees entitled to extra pay or a compensatory day off.
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Preserving the quality of life
Austria is a country that treasures its quality of life, and one of the ways it preserves this is by keeping shops closed on Sundays. This tradition is so important that it came as a shock to some immigrants, who were used to 24/7 services in their home countries.
The current federal law from 2003 states that general shop opening times are from Monday to Friday, 6 am to 9 pm, and on Saturdays from 6 am to 6 pm. This means that shops close promptly on Saturday at 6 pm and will only reopen the following Monday. There are a few exceptions to this rule, including bakeries, gas stations, and shops in transit areas like train stations.
The reason for this law is that Austrians view Sundays as a day for relaxation, spending time with family, and enjoying nature. This idea of a rest day is also tied to the country's religious roots, with Sunday being considered a holy day by much of the population and protected by the Church as such. Even with the exceptional opening of shops during the pandemic, a University of Linz survey showed that only 15% of consumers would use the day to buy goods. This shows that the majority of Austrians value their Sunday as a day of rest and leisure.
On Sundays, Austrians flock to parks, trails, gardens, and free events in their cities. They can also visit museums, cinemas, and theatres, which remain open. While it may be a cultural adjustment for some, the preservation of Sunday as a day of rest is an integral part of maintaining the quality of life in Austria.
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Federal law
In Austria, federal law stipulates that stores are generally not allowed to be open on Sundays and public holidays. This law, the "Öffnungszeitengesetz", provides for several exceptions, including stores that sell food and essential household items (such as bakeries, convenience stores, and pharmacies) with a sales area of less than 400 square meters, and stores that are open for cultural or entertainment purposes, such as museums, theatres, and cinemas. Even these exceptions have strict rules regarding opening hours and conditions for operation on Sundays and public holidays. For instance, stores are only allowed to be open for a limited time, usually between 6 am and 7 pm, and employees who work on Sundays and public holidays are entitled to extra pay or a compensatory day off.
Austria is a very religious country, with Christianity as the largest religion. In a 2001 census, 73.7% of the population identified as Roman Catholic and 4.7% as Protestant. By 2016, the number of Roman Catholics had dropped to 64%. Sunday is considered a holy day by much of the population, and the Austrian Church has long protected its status as a "rest day". The idea that Sundays are not for shopping and that keeping shops closed is a way to preserve the Austrian quality of life is valued in the country.
The federal law also allows for some exceptions decided by the federal states, including serving commuters, tourist areas, and events or "special occasions". These provisions allow most shops in train stations to remain open, for example. Additionally, bars and restaurants are allowed to be open on Sundays.
The closed stores on Sundays can be a cultural shock for immigrants from cultures with "24/7 services". Austrians adapt by doing most of their grocery shopping after work hours or on Saturdays, often buying fresh food to align with the culture of eating fresh meals. On Sundays, many Austrians spend time outdoors in parks, trails, and gardens, taking advantage of the free events and activities their cities offer.
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Exceptions
In Austria, stores are generally not allowed to be open on Sundays and public holidays, with a few exceptions.
Firstly, stores that sell food and essential household items, such as bakeries, convenience stores, and pharmacies, are allowed to operate on Sundays, but only if their sales area is less than 400 square meters. Secondly, stores that are open for cultural or entertainment purposes, such as museums, theatres, and cinemas, are also permitted to open. However, even for these exceptions, strict rules govern the opening hours and conditions for operation on Sundays and public holidays. For example, employees who work on Sundays or public holidays are entitled to extra pay or a compensatory day off.
In addition to these nationwide exceptions, federal states can decide on additional exceptions. For instance, shops in transit areas, such as train stations, are often open on Sundays. Furthermore, shops in tourist areas or those serving commuters and special events or occasions may also be granted permission to operate on Sundays.
It is worth noting that, historically, there have been rare instances where shops were allowed to open on Sundays due to exceptional circumstances, such as during the pandemic in December 2021, when shops were permitted to open to make up for lost sales. However, this was a one-off exception, and authorities and workers' unions emphasised that it should not be seen as a move towards regular Sunday openings.
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Frequently asked questions
Sunday is considered a rest day in Austria, with the Austrian Church protecting its status as such. The country also treasures the idea that Sundays are not for shopping, and that keeping shops closed helps preserve the Austrian quality of life.
Stores that sell food and essential household items, such as bakeries, convenience stores, and pharmacies, are allowed to operate on Sundays, provided they have a sales area of less than 400 square meters. Stores that are open for cultural or entertainment purposes, such as museums, theaters, and cinemas, are also permitted to open.
Yes, there are a few exceptions. During the pandemic in December 2021, shops were allowed to open on Sundays to make up for lost sales. Additionally, federal states can decide on exceptions, such as for serving commuters, tourist areas, and events or "special occasions."
