Belgium: Aldi concretizes plans for Sunday opening
- DRC Discount Retail Consulting GmbH
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
Discount Retail Chain Aldi also wants to open its Belgian stores on Sunday morning: the retailer has explained its plans to the unions. Formal consultations on the conditions have yet to start.
On a voluntary basis
The fact that Aldi is considering opening its stores on Sundays from now on became known in April: then that message caused great unrest and even a strike wave in the Belgian stores. The unions were dissatisfied with the way the news came out. This week, the discounter further explained the plans to the unions, according to Belgian newspaper De Tijd. Aldi wants to keep all stores open on Sundays from 8.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Employees can choose to do so on a voluntary basis and receive a financial allowance or extra leave hours. The shops will not be open on public holidays.
It is not yet known when the Sunday openings can start. According to the free trade union Synova (that is the new name of the ACLVB), an agreement on Sunday openings will not be reached before the summer. "We are not keen on it, but Sunday openings are difficult to stop," says union representative Wilson Wellens. "People are relieved that it is on a voluntary basis."
Only Colruyt remains closed
Rival Lidl also wants to open its Belgian stores on Sundays. Initially, it would be about 150 stores or almost half of the total number. Later, the intention is to open all shops on Sundays. There is no clarity yet about the timing. Market leader Colruyt has so far always stated that Sunday openings are not profitable, and is therefore in danger of being the only Belgian supermarket chain to remain closed on Sundays – except at tourist locations during the high season. Colruyt subsidiaries Spar, Okay and Cru are open every Sunday.
Since the privatization of all Delhaize stores in 2023, Sunday openings have been an important new competitive weapon in Belgian food retail. Partly thanks to these extended opening hours, Delhaize is gaining market share, while the discounters are under pressure. Carrefour is also now opening all its stores on Sundays. This has been the case for some time for Intermarché, Albert Heijn and Jumbo, among others. Increasingly, supermarkets are even open seven days a week.
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