Luxembourg's General Directorate for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises has announced that shops will not be allowed to open on Sundays during the upcoming winter sales period.
In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lex Delles, Minister for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, decided to withdraw the authorisation for Sunday openings during the winter sales period, which is set to run from 20 January until 17 February 2021.
As such, shops will not be allowed to open on the following Sundays: 24 and 31 January and 7 and 14 February 2021.
Minister Lex Delles explained that “the COVID-19 pandemic constitutes a major health and economic challenge. In order to protect the health of citizens and stem the spread of COVID-19, it was decided to withdraw the authorisation for Sunday openings during the winter sales 2020/2021. This measure should further limit non-essential travel. This is especially true during the sales period, which encourages many people to take the time to stroll in the shops, hence the need to further limit social interactions”.
In this context, the opening of shops is accompanied by strict health rules. The limitation of one customer per 10 m2 applies to any commercial operation accessible to the public, regardless of its sales area. Small businesses with a sales area of less than 20 m2 can accommodate a maximum of two customers at the same time. Shopping centres with a sales area equal to or greater than 400 m2 and which have a shopping arcade must have a health protocol approved by the Health Directorate. Wearing a mask is compulsory and it is recommended that an interpersonal distance of two metres is respected and that barrier gestures be taken into consideration.
The General Directorate for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises also recalled that businesses can benefit from various support measures, including specific aid for in-store retailing, aid for non-covered costs, stimulus aid and a repayable loan.
