Grand Council AG Third permit-free Sunday sales possible in Aargau

In future, the municipalities of Aargau will be able to set one permit-free Sunday sale per year, largely at their discretion. On Tuesday, the Grand Council approved the corresponding amendment to the cantonal introductory law on labor law by 91 votes to 37.

Specifically, the municipalities can determine one permit-free Sunday outside the Advent period. However, the municipalities are not obliged to allow sales on Sundays.

The majority of parliament wants to give the municipalities more freedom with this regulation. It is also about regional particularities, it was said.

Under the new regulation, stores will still be able to open on two Advent Sundays per year without special permission. The government council will determine the dates, which will vary from region to region.

No shopping on August 1

In future, the municipalities will still not be able to authorize Sunday sales on federal holidays and cantonal holidays in the respective municipality. The amended introductory law is to come into force on September 1, 2025.

The "no" votes against the revision of the law came from the SP and EPP parliamentary groups, with a few votes from the SVP parliamentary group. The Grand Council had previously clearly rejected proposals from the SP and FDP parliamentary groups.

The SP wanted the cantonal government to set only one Sunday during Advent and the municipalities or cities to set one Sunday during the rest of the year.

The FDP wanted the municipalities to be largely free to decide which Sunday they wanted to open for business. The SVP supported the government council's proposal.

Fourteen years ago, the people of Aargau rejected a law with a total of four permit-free Sunday sales in a referendum.