The Czech Republic's new Act on wholesale and retail sales comes into effect on 1 September 2016.
The new act on wholesale and retail sales (locally in Czech: Zákon o prodejní době v maloobchodě a velkoobchodě) comes into effect on 1 September, 2016.
As per the act, businesses are not permitted to sell wholesale and retail on the following public holidays:
- New Year's Day (1 January)
- Easter Monday
- Liberation Day (8 May)
- Czech Statehood Day (28 September)
- Independent Czechoslovak State Day (28 October)
- Christmas Day (25 December)
- Second Christmas Day (26 December)
The sale of wholesale and retail is also prohibited from 12 noon till midnight on Christmas Eve (24 December).
These restrictions do not apply to:
- Stores with a sales space smaller than 200m2 (pawn shops, businesses trading with used goods, and stores for waste collection and purchase are not exempt irrespective of their size)
- Petrol stations with fuels and lubricants
- Stores in areas with a high concentration of passengers (airports, railway and bus stations)
- Pharmacies
- Stores in healthcare facilities
- Retail and wholesale during a state of danger, emergency or war.
Companies that violate the new rulings can be fined up to CZK 1,000,000 (and CZK 5,000,000 for repeated offences).
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.