Carinthia’s Sunday food shopping rule faces renewed debate

A special rule allowing food shops to open on Sundays and public holidays in Carinthia will end in three weeks, ORF Kärnten reported on Sunday. The NEOS party is calling for renewed debate on shop opening hours, while many customers say they value the option of shopping on Sundays.

Under the rule, certain food shops may remain open until the second Sunday in September. It mainly applies in tourist resorts and municipalities around lakes, and is intended to meet the needs of guests and holidaymakers.

Food shops can currently open on Sundays and public holidays during the summer season in 42 Carinthian municipalities. The arrangement is based on a regulation introduced in 2010.

Many customers find Sunday shopping convenient. A family from Mödling staying at a campsite on Lake Keutschach had already bought its groceries on Saturday, while others use the opportunity to pick up items at short notice.

Local residents also appreciate the flexibility. “You don’t have any stress during the week and can buy something at any time without having to plan much,” one customer from Reifnitz said.

The NEOS have again made the regulation a subject of political debate, saying there is still a need for action on shop opening hours.

In Klagenfurt-Maiernigg, however, residents’ criticism focuses not on Sunday opening itself but on traffic around a supermarket. They consider a junction that they say is difficult to see clearly a potential danger spot.

Once the summer season ends, the special rule will also expire. From the second Sunday in September, the affected food shops must close again on Sundays and public holidays.