Violent confrontation erupted between businesses and commercial workers over whether or not commercial stores in Monday, January 2, 2023. Controversy also exists among businesses, as some say they will open their stores, while others say they will keep them closed. The only thing you can be sure of is that there will be confusion over what will apply next Monday at retail is exacerbated when consumers are asked to determine for themselves which stores they can and cannot shop in.

The problem was caused this year by the fact that none of the two Sundays next to Christmas and to New Year shops are closed precisely because December 25 and January 1 fell on a Sunday. In previous years of work, employers used to close shops on New Year’s Eve so workers could rest. In the past, several businesses also took inventory on January 2, hiring some workers but remaining closed to consumers. It is noted that January 2 is not an obligatory holiday, but an ordinary holiday. For this reason, after all, the Association of Trade Officers of Athens, in a letter to the Athens Regional Labor Inspectorate, a letter that is sent to the ministries of labor and development, asks that January 2 be recognized as an official commercial holiday.

However, retail agents pointedly note that you cannot, on the one hand, demand an increase in the number of days (mostly Sundays) during which stores can be open, and on the other hand, the business is closed for one day, which is not a mandatory holiday . The main argument of several businesses that have decided not to open their stores on January 2 is that the expected turnover will be small compared to operating expenses on that day.

Stores that have already announced they will be open on January 2 include supermarket chains AB Vassilopoulos and Lidl, while Sklavenitis and Kritikos stores will remain closed, according to what they also announced on their websites. The latter, however, will operate its stores in certain areas of Crete.

Although some shopping centers, shopping parks have announced that they will be open on Monday, January 2, such as the discount village in Spata, as well as Smart Park, several chains that have stores, such as Zara and in general, all brands of the Inditex group operating in the Greek market will not work. The Swedish chain H&M will do the same. Only two of its stores, both located in outlets, in Attica and Thessaloniki, will be operated by Intersport. Attica department stores will remain closed not only at the Syntagma store (City Link), but also at other locations in Athens and Thessaloniki where the company has a presence. The chain expected to reopen its stores next Monday is Jumbo, a company that has been known to openly advocate for extended opening hours.