Last Sunday

If you happen to be in Croatia, and like to shop for groceries on Sundays, tomorrow is the last day when you will be able to engage in such activies. From January 1st new legislation – pushed by Catholic Church - bans grocery stores from working on Sunday.

However, as some of my blog readers know, Sabor left a loophole for the most desperate shoppers – one grocery store per 5000 inhabitants would be opened on Sunday and it must have only 200 square metres of shopping space. What stores fulfil the criteria and what stores would get the licence is in the jurisdiction of local authorities.

While the legislation, among other things, had its backers and sponsors among owners of mom-and-pop stores in rural communities, it became pretty clear that some of the big retail chains have prepared for new rules, adapting their mega-supermarkets into small convenience stores.

In the meantime, Douglas Muir complains about similar practice in Germany.