The Federal Assembly — The Swiss Parliament: The Council of States has voted against making shop opening hours more flexible. It refused to consider the relevant bill and intends to stick with the current limit of four Sundays a year where shopping is permitted without a special permit.
The debate over more flexible shop opening hours is a perennial issue; regulations for Monday through Saturday are the responsibility of the cantons. However, when it comes to Sundays, federal law applies—specifically, the Labor Act.
To date, municipalities and cantons have been permitted to authorize shopping on a maximum of four Sundays per year without requiring a special permit. In the view of the Council of States, this arrangement should remain in place for the time being.
On Tuesday, the Council decided by a narrow margin—22 votes to 21, with one abstention—not to proceed with the bill proposed by its Committee for Economic Affairs and Taxation (WAK-S). A “Sunday Alliance” comprising council members from the SP, the Greens, The Centre (Die Mitte), and the SVP prevailed. Council of States President Stefan Engler (The Centre/GR) cast the deciding vote.
“SUNDAY ALLIANCE” PREVAILS
During the debate on whether to consider the bill, members on the left argued that the proposal was socially unjust, endangered employees’ health, and disregarded democratic decisions. Carlo Sommaruga (SP/GE), for instance, described it as a “frontal attack on workers’ rights.”
People in this sector already suffer from difficult working conditions. Sommaruga emphasized the importance of Sunday as a shared day of rest, particularly for employees and their families.
Opponents argued that a Sunday free from shopping strengthens social cohesion and should not serve the purpose of boosting consumption. Furthermore, they maintained that consumer spending depends primarily on purchasing power rather than on which days shops are open. Representatives from the SVP and The Centre parties also weighed in: “Shopping is merely spread across an additional day, while costs for staff, operations, and infrastructure rise,” said Andrea Gmür-Schönenberger (The Centre/LU). Jakob Stark (SVP/TG) spoke of the “Sunday Alliance.” Any potential economic benefits would not outweigh the social downsides. “The value of Sunday must be preserved,” Stark stated.
Pierre-Yves Maillard (SP/VD) noted that the public has consistently rejected Sunday shopping. For instance, voters in the Canton of Bern rejected a proposal to increase the number of Sundays shops could open from two to four in a 2021 referendum.
REJECTION DESPITE “MAY” PROVISION
The legislative proposal—now rejected by the Council of States—originated from a cantonal initiative by Zurich, which had previously been endorsed by both relevant parliamentary committees.
Cantons such as Zurich and Schaffhausen had actively advocated for the expansion to strengthen local brick-and-mortar retail against international online competition and cross-border shopping in neighboring countries.
“People have an increased need for flexibility,” said Tiana Angelina Moser (GLP/ZH). This is reflected in shopping habits: shops that are open on Sundays—such as those at airports—experience high foot traffic.
Proponents also argued that the Swiss economy is being hit hard by crises. Extending the timeframe for economic activity through more flexible shop opening hours could boost economic output. Small businesses and service providers—sectors particularly vulnerable to crises—could especially benefit from this.
Furthermore, a provision allowing—rather than mandating—such measures would have enabled flexible adaptation to local needs without requiring a comprehensive overhaul of the Labor Act. “This is a bill that creates an option. That is also what the majority of the cantons wanted,” said Moser.
NOT THE FIRST ATTEMPT
The Federal Council also welcomed the proposal. “As is currently the case, the cantons can decide for themselves how they wish to use this option,” said Economics Minister Guy Parmelin. It therefore represented a “measured move towards flexibility” that continued to leave it up to the cantons to determine how to handle Sunday work.
The amendment that has now failed in the Council of States marks the second recent attempt to expand Sunday shopping. In February of last year, the Federal Council announced that it had halted work on new regulations for Sunday shopping at the national level.
A consultation process regarding the revision planned at that time took place between November 2023 and March 2024. Center-right parties and cities felt the proposed liberalization did not go far enough, while left-wing parties and trade unions opposed any loosening of the rules. According to the Federal Council, the draft failed to garner sufficient support at the time.
On Tuesday, too, the bill failed in the smaller chamber—likely not least…
Prophetic Link:
“The Sunday-Sabbath institution is traced directly to the Romish Church, which, indeed, claims the honor of originating it; and no one has been able to dispute this claim. The Sabbath of Jehovah commemorates the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the commandment for its observance was given that the earth and its inhabitants might glorify the creator. The law which compels the observance of the Sunday-Sabbath annuls the commandment of God, and the earth and them that dwell therein are caused to do homage to the power which originated it, by resting thereon. Protestants have ascribed various institutions to the papacy, and applied this prophecy to them; but in none is the earth, in distinction from those who dwell upon the earth, caused to worship that power, except in the Sunday rest enforced upon all the land.” The Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, page 503.1
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