Poland’s second—and most important—‘handlowa niedziela’ of the year falls on 21 June, temporarily suspending the near-total Sunday retail ban introduced in 2018. Major supermarkets, DIY stores and shopping malls along the German and Czech borders confirmed extended opening hours, anticipating an influx of foreign bargain-hunters taking advantage of a weak złoty and VAT-free fuel scheme for visitors from outside the EU. The liberalisation, written into the 2024 amendment to Poland’s Retail Act, allows full-scale trading on the Sunday closest to the summer solstice provided it does not clash with a public holiday. Logistics operators report a 15 % rise in pallet volumes this week as importers rushed to replenish shelves for the one-day sales window. Retailers in the border town of Słubice said coach tours from Berlin had doubled compared with an ordinary weekend, while Wrocław airport added extra customs staff to handle duty-free shopping by passengers departing for the UK and Norway.
![Summer Trading Sunday Lifts Retail Restrictions—Good News for Cross-Border Shoppers]()
Visitors who suddenly realise they need last-minute visa extensions or documentation advice can turn to VisaHQ, whose Poland portal (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) offers rapid online processing and appointment scheduling. The service is particularly useful for non-EU residents keen to exploit the single trading Sunday without being tripped up by entry formalities.
For mobility managers the relaxed rules mean expatriate staff can collect residence-permit biometrics or open bank accounts usually closed on Sundays, but they should also expect heavier traffic on A4 and S3 corridors. Parking at outlet centres such as Poznań’s Factory Luboń is predicted to reach capacity before noon, according to facility operator Neinver. Trade unions continue to criticise the carve-outs, arguing they undermine the work-free-Sunday principle and disproportionately affect retail employees in tourist hotspots. The government has floated a digital services tax on cross-border e-commerce platforms to level the playing field—but no draft has yet been published. Businesses planning promotional events are reminded that the next trading Sunday will not occur until 20 December, when Christmas exemptions apply. Until then, only small, owner-operated shops and essential services may open on Sundays, so expatriate families should plan weekly grocery runs accordingly.
Visitors who suddenly realise they need last-minute visa extensions or documentation advice can turn to VisaHQ, whose Poland portal (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) offers rapid online processing and appointment scheduling. The service is particularly useful for non-EU residents keen to exploit the single trading Sunday without being tripped up by entry formalities.
For mobility managers the relaxed rules mean expatriate staff can collect residence-permit biometrics or open bank accounts usually closed on Sundays, but they should also expect heavier traffic on A4 and S3 corridors. Parking at outlet centres such as Poznań’s Factory Luboń is predicted to reach capacity before noon, according to facility operator Neinver. Trade unions continue to criticise the carve-outs, arguing they undermine the work-free-Sunday principle and disproportionately affect retail employees in tourist hotspots. The government has floated a digital services tax on cross-border e-commerce platforms to level the playing field—but no draft has yet been published. Businesses planning promotional events are reminded that the next trading Sunday will not occur until 20 December, when Christmas exemptions apply. Until then, only small, owner-operated shops and essential services may open on Sundays, so expatriate families should plan weekly grocery runs accordingly.
