Sunday shopping ban in Poland: trading Sundays in 2026 and exceptions
Short answer: Polish shops are closed on most Sundays; in 2026 the trading Sundays are 25 January, 29 March, 26 April, 28 June, 30 August and 6, 13 and 20 December.
The first Sunday after you move to Poland often goes the same way. You walk to the supermarket, find the doors shut, and learn that most shops are closed on Sundays. Poland restricts Sunday trading by law, and it applies to supermarkets, discount chains, clothing shops and most other retail stores. This guide explains the rules from the official government sources, which Sundays are open in 2026, and where you can still buy food and medicine.
The rule in one paragraph
A law limiting trade on Sundays and holidays came into force on 1 March 2018. The Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy says that on Sundays and holidays, trade in retail outlets is banned. The ban also covers handing employees, or people working under civil-law contracts such as a contract of mandate, work in trade on those days. The State Labour Inspectorate (PIP) checks that the law is followed.
The days covered include public holidays: 1 January, 6 January, the first and second day of Easter, 1 May, 3 May, the first day of Pentecost, Corpus Christi, 15 August, 1 November, 11 November, and 25 and 26 December. For the dates of these holidays each year, see our [Poland public holidays calendar](/tools/polish-public-holidays-calendar).
Trading Sundays in 2026
According to the Regional Labour Inspectorate in Kraków (PIP), the law lists specific Sundays when shops can open: the three Sundays before Christmas Eve, the Sunday directly before Easter, and the last Sunday of January, April, June and August. The Inspectorate's list for 2026 is:
- 25 January
- 29 March (the Sunday before Easter, which falls on 5 April)
- 26 April
- 28 June
- 30 August
- 6 December
- 13 December
- 20 December
If you read this on 13 October 2026, the three December dates are the next trading Sundays. All of them fall on a Sunday: 6, 13 and 20 December 2026.
What stays open on a normal Sunday
The law has exceptions, and PIP lists the main ones. Trade is not banned in:
- petrol stations,
- pharmacies and pharmacy points,
- veterinary clinics,
- retail outlets inside hotels,
- shops where the owner, as a natural person, personally sells on their own account without employees,
- bakeries, pastry shops and ice cream shops where the main activity is selling their own products,
- outlets where food service (a café or restaurant) dominates,
- online shops and online sales platforms, vending machines, and flowers and candles sold near cemeteries.
In practice this is why you can still buy bread at a bakery, a snack at a petrol station and a coffee in a café, and why a small shop run by its owner may be open. Larger chains with staff are normally closed. Check the opening hours of a particular shop on a map before you walk there, because exceptions depend on how the shop is run.
Christmas Eve and Holy Saturday
The Ministry's Q&A page says that on 24 December and on the Saturday before Easter, trade is banned after 14:00. Employees who work only until 14:00 keep their pay for the shortened day. Because 24 December has been a day off work since 2025, check the shop's own announcements for the current year.
Why the law exists
The Ministry explains that the limit is meant to strengthen social and family ties. Many people working in retail are women and mothers, and Sunday is often the most convenient day for them to spend time with their children. A Sunday free of work gives all family members a chance to rest together.
A special rule for years when 24 December is a Sunday
A 2023 amendment, in force since 5 December 2023, changes the Christmas Sundays in years where the Sunday before Christmas falls on 24 December. In that case the trading ban does not apply on the two Sundays before it. This does not affect 2026, because 24 December falls on a Thursday that year.
What happens to shops that break the rules
PIP is responsible for control. It has taken cases to court, and the Supreme Court has confirmed the labour inspectors' position that a shop cannot get around the ban by opening a reading corner.
Tips for newcomers
Do your main shopping on Saturday. Keep basics at home, such as milk, bread and water, if you rely on a normal Sunday. Use petrol stations or an open pharmacy for emergencies. Look up the trading Sundays, especially before Christmas, when three Sundays in a row are open. Online grocery shops work on any day, but delivery may be limited.
Frequently asked questions
Are all shops closed on Sunday in Poland?
Most shops are, with exceptions for petrol stations, pharmacies, bakeries, cafés, online shops and owner-run shops without employees (PIP, gov.pl).
Which Sundays are shops open in 2026?
25 January, 29 March, 26 April, 28 June, 30 August, and 6, 13 and 20 December, according to the Regional Labour Inspectorate in Kraków.
Can I buy medicine on Sunday?
Yes. Pharmacies and pharmacy points are not covered by the ban, but not every pharmacy is open on Sunday, so check hours.
Are shops open on 24 December?
The Ministry's Q&A page says trade is banned after 14:00 on 24 December, and that date has been a day off work since 2025, so check the notice at your shop.
Who enforces the ban?
The State Labour Inspectorate (PIP).
