Antwerp approves Sunday shopping

Sunday shopping in the historic centre of Antwerp will soon be possible, after federal ministers approved a request from the city council. Shopkeepers and industry representatives called for extra protective measures for workers before they accept the change.

The council required the approval of federal labour minister Monica De Coninck and minister for small businesses Sabine Laruelle. The approval depends on the designation of a tourist zone in the centre of the city, where shopping will be allowed. The text making Sunday shopping possible now must to appear in the government’s official journal before it comes into effect.

Antwerp’s alderman for small businesses, Koen Kennis, stressed that businesses were free to open or not on Sundays once the measure comes into effect. However, shop workers fear the competitive situation in Antwerp means they will be forced to follow those business that do open.

Shop owners are concerned that an extra day will not bring in additional income but simply spread the existing income over seven days instead of six. That would effectively result in a loss, as staff who work on Sundays would have to be paid, most likely at a bonus rate.

To combat that possibility, NSZ and Unizo – both organisations that represent the self-employed – have called on the city to ensure that Sunday shopping is sufficiently promoted by the city and included in promotions for other events.

Examples from other cities show a variety of results. Bruges’ shops have long been allowed to open on Sundays, given the large number of tourists, while Maastricht, in the Netherlands on the border with Limburg, opens one Sunday a month, attracting a sizeable number of shoppers from Belgium. Antwerp stands to gain from visitors from the Netherlands, particularly the border cities of Breda and Tilburg.

According to Nico Volckeryck, chair of Unizo Antwerp-City, Sunday openings should be restricted to the first Sunday of the month, as previously agreed with the council. For NSZ, the priority lies with attracting tourists from abroad, from Wallonia and from other parts of Flanders, in order to ensure additional income.

They also demand an early evaluation of the success of the idea. “If Sunday opening turns out not to be a success, then it ought to be scrapped,” said NSZ chair Christine Mattheeuws.

Photo: Toerisme Antwerpen