Politics · France · 1 hr ago
France plans extra Sunday openings for shops hit by protest damage
France’s government plans to allow extra Sunday shop openings to help businesses recover sales lost during protest-related disruption.
The move follows violence during demonstrations on October 17, when Commerce Minister Serge Papin said 3,000 shops were affected and nearly 400 were looted.
Under existing rules, mayors can already authorize shops to open on 12 Sundays a year, and prefects can allow three additional Sundays.
The government will ask prefects to use that power for three extra Sundays before Christmas, with more possible after local discussions with employers and unions.
The instruction is due to be sent to prefects early in the week, and they will decide which areas and shops qualify.
The CGT union opposes more Sunday work, saying retail workers already face difficult schedules and some have lost pay through reduced hours.
France plans to let shops open on up to three additional Sundays before Christmas after protest-related damage and looting.
Commerce Minister Serge Papin said prefects would be asked to use existing powers to authorize the extra openings.
Further Sunday openings could be approved case by case after discussions with employer and trade union organizations.
Shopkeepers say Sunday openings could help make up for lost business, while CGT leader Sophie Binet opposes more Sunday work.
Papin said 3,000 shops were affected by violence on October 17 and almost 400 were looted.
- Who
- The French government, led on the announcement by Commerce Minister Serge Papin, plans to enable extra Sunday openings. Shopkeepers seek to recover lost business.
- What
- Prefects will be asked to authorize up to three additional Sunday openings before Christmas, with further openings possible after consultations.
- When
- The announcement was made on November 2, 2026. The proposed openings would be before Christmas.
- Where
- France; prefects would assess requests in their departments, with particular attention to areas affected by protests.
- Why
- To help shops compensate for business losses after protest-related damage and disruption.
French government and shopkeepers
CGT
Sunday openings
French government and shopkeepers
The government plans to allow up to three additional openings before Christmas, with more possible after consultations; shopkeepers say openings could offset lost business.
CGT
CGT leader Sophie Binet opposes more Sunday work, saying retail workers already face atypical hours and that Sunday work would harm family life.
Protest-related violence affected shops, and almost 400 were looted, according to Serge Papin.
The government announced it was encouraging mayors and prefects to authorize exceptional Sunday openings.
Papin said 20 shops were affected by violence and one was looted.
Papin announced that he would ask prefects to authorize three additional Sunday openings before Christmas.
- Shops affected on October 17
- 3,000, according to Serge Papin
- Shops looted on October 17
- Almost 400, according to Serge Papin
- Additional Sunday openings
- Three before Christmas
- Existing mayoral authority
- Up to 12 Sundays a year
- Shops affected on October 31
- 20, according to Serge Papin
- Shops looted on October 31
- One, according to Serge Papin
3 sources
Le gouvernement demande aux préfets de faciliter les ouvertures dominicales pour aider les commerces touchés par les violences en marge des manifestations
En réponse à la casse et aux pillages lors des manifestations du 17 octobre, le gouvernement veut faciliter l’ouverture des commerces le dimanche
Mobilisation: à Paris, certains commerces ouvrent le dimanche jusqu'à Noël pour compenser "la perte de chiffre d'affaires" lors des samedi de manifestation
What people are saying
3,000 stores
Of course
Imposing on them in addition the sacrifice of their family life by working on Sunday, that’s not serious, it’s shameful.