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CULTURE

Why everything in Austria is closed on Sundays – and what to do instead

By law, most shops and supermarkets need to stay closed on Sundays. Why is that and how can you still buy what you need?

Why everything in Austria is closed on Sundays - and what to do instead
Even stores in Vienna's famous shopping street, Mariahilferstrasse close on Sundays. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP)

In December 2021, as Austrian shops and stores suffered heavily from fewer sales due to pandemic restrictions, the country made a surprising decision: it would allow shops to open on a Sunday to make up for lost sales.

It was the first time in decades that trade was allowed to open on a Sunday, prompting Austrian media to say things like “a sacred cow is killed in Austria“, a strong image to show how the country views its holy Sunday as a rest day.

At the time, authorities and workers’ unions were quick to reiterate that the one-off exception should not be seen as a move towards Sunday opening more generally.

Shops also had the choice to open, and coming to work was voluntary for workers too. Plus, they got double pay and an extra day off.

READ ALSO: Austria to open shops on last advent Sunday after lockdown

What does the law say?

The regulations for opening hours are very strict in Austria. The current 2003 federal law (though the tradition of having shops closed comes from much earlier than that) states that general open times that stores are allowed to have are Mondays to Fridays from 6am to 9pm and on Saturdays from 6am to 6pm.

That means that most trade shuts down in Austria promptly on Saturday at 6pm (or earlier) and will only resume the following Monday at 6am.

There are a few exceptions to this rule, mainly bakery businesses, gas stations (and they can sell fuel, but also “small sale items”), and shops in transit areas.

Federal states can also decide on some exceptions, including serving commuters, tourist areas, and events or “special occasions”.

These provisions make it possible that most shops in train stations, for example, are still open.

Where does this tradition come from?

Austria is a very religious country, with Christianity by far the largest religion. In a 2001 census, 73.7 per cent of the population indicated that they were Roman Catholic and 4.7 per cent Protestant.

These numbers have slightly dropped, and in 2016, Statistik Austria found that some 64 per cent of the population was Roman Catholic.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: What is Austria’s church tax, and how do I avoid paying it?

Sunday is seen as a holy day by much of the population, and the Austrian Church for long has protected the day’s status as a “rest day”. But that is not all.

The idea that Sundays are not for shopping and that keeping shops closed is a way to preserve the Austrian quality of life is treasured in the alpine country.

Even with the exceptional opening during the pandemic, a University of Linz survey showed that only 15 per cent of consumers would use the day to buy goods.

Ask any Austrian or check any poll results, and you will get similar justifications: “Sundays are for family”, “Sundays are for culture, nature, rest”, “workers deserve their Sunday rest as well”, all the way to “plan your shopping better”.

READ ALSO: Everything you need to know about supermarkets in Austria

It is one of the few areas where most of the parties (including the socialists in Vienna), the Church, workers’ unions and most of the population actually agree on.

What to do on a Sunday with an empty fridge?

Just because shops close every single Sunday doesn’t mean that you won’t find yourself surprised with an empty fridge on a Sunday morning, especially if Saturday was a holiday (and shops were also closed).

The federal law itself provides for several exceptions that you can take advantage of – even if some of the prices could be higher than those in supermarkets.

First of all, it’s worth remembering that bars and restaurants are still open on Sundays, or at least they are allowed to open. Bakeries also usually stay open and food delivery services can operate normally as well.

READ ALSO: Seven weird things about life in Austria you need to get used to

Shops and supermarkets that are in transit and touristic areas also remain largely open, so places located inside train stations, airports, and transit areas are a possibility.

In Vienna, the Billa supermarket at Praterstern, or the one at Franz Josefs Station, and the many shops at Westbahnhof and Hauptbahnhof are always crowded with Sunday shoppers.

Another easy (though likely expensive) solution is to head to a convenience store at a gas station. Some of them can offer quite a large selection of food and drinks and stay open on Sundays – they are also a good alternative for late night shopping in some cases.

Enjoy your Sunday

The closed stores can be quite a cultural shock for many immigrants coming from different “24/7 services” types of cultures.

This is one of the things that are not likely going to change anytime soon, and over and over again, the country has decided to keep Sundays for rest.

READ ALSO: Six of the best things to do in spring in Vienna

Austrians deal with it by doing most of their grocery shopping after work hours (or hectically on Saturdays), in short runs to the supermarkets – which also goes with the culture of eating fresh meals.

On Sundays, especially when the weather is nice, they flock to parks, trails, palace gardens and many areas and events, most of them free, their cities have to offer.

It is a day to slow down, and there are numerous ways to enjoy it that do not include “capitalist” traditions such as going to the mall – at least according to the locals.

Member comments

  1. A retail-free Sunday is bliss. We are able to focus on enjoying a day without interruptions from retail pressures. In over 20 years in Vienna, I have been to Billa at Praterstern only once (around 2011). Nowadays, with the possibility to order online, there really is no excuse to have to do the “walk of shame” to the Billa there.

  2. Hello,

    The Billa at Franz Josefs train station no longer exists – at least not now during the reconstruction.

    1. Hi, thanks for the comment! I haven’t been there myself in a while, but I’ll have to check it. On their website, they do say it’s open, but it might not be up to date.

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For members

POLITICS

EXPLAINED: Austria wants to define its fundamental culture but what is it?

Politicians from Austria's centre-right ÖVP are putting together a definition of Austria's 'guiding culture', known in German as 'Leitkultur'. What is that and why are they doing it?

EXPLAINED: Austria wants to define its fundamental culture but what is it?

When you think of Austria, your first thoughts might be of Alpine hills, Schnitzel and traditional folk music. 

Is this what politicians are referring to when they talk about Austrian ‘Leitkultur’ or ‘leading or guiding culture’? 

Many in Austria are considering this question because the coalition government is honing in on this concept. 

Austria’s Integration Minister Susanne Raab, of the centre-right Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP), has been tasked by chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) to develop a legal definition of ‘Austrian guiding culture’.

It’s part of the “Austria Plan” that Nehammer presented earlier this year when he called for a “guiding Austrian culture by 2030, which should also be reflected in law as a national cultural asset”.

READ ALSO: ‘Austria Plan’ – What are the chancellor’s new plans for the country?

Raab said it should ensure “that symbols and behaviours that contradict our fundamental values can be treated in a legally differentiated manner”.

However, this topic has been the subject of heated debate with critics accusing politicians of using it to alienate immigrants, particularly asylum seekers and refugees.There is a fear that the ‘Leitkultur’ concept goes against multiculturalism and calls on people to conform to one ‘guiding culture’ without an acceptance of other ways of life outside western culture. 

The concept is not just a talking point in Austria – it’s also been discussed heavily in neighbouring Germany for years, particularly by centre-right and far-right parties. 

How is Austria planning to define Leitkultur?

The Austrian government says it wants to define a concept of national cultural heritage in law over the next six years. 

As a first step, the Integration Minister has brought together a panel of experts who will meet on Thursday.

Under the banner “Austrian identity and guiding culture: values of coexistence”, the first meeting will be an introductory exchange, according to Raab’s office. The minister will outline her approach to the topic before the discussion, Austrian newspaper Der Standard reported.

The panel includes Katharina Pabel, a lawyer from Linz, Rainer Münz, who worked for Erste Bank and advised Jean-Claude Juncker as President of the EU Commission and Wolfgang Mazal, a professor at the Institute for Labour and Social Law at the University of Vienna.

What is Austrian ‘guiding culture’?

In an interview with Der Standard before the meeting, Mazal said the initial discussion “should serve to find a consensus in society about what is important to us and what form of coexistence we should cultivate”. He added that the ‘Leitkultur’ debate should be a “process of reflection”.

Mazal does not share the criticism of the term – in his view, it is not about placing one culture above others. Similar to the mission statement of a company, a “guiding culture” should define the “fundamental direction” of a society, he said. 

But the ÖVP’s communication has been more rigid. Secretary General Christian Stocker, for instance, recently explained in a Facebook video that Austrian identity is “what defines us”. This goes “from A to Z”, for example from brass band music to the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. “How we celebrate our festivals and holidays” is also part of our identity, he said. And “anyone who doesn’t want to accept all that is welcome to leave”, he made clear.

Overall, the People’s Party is focussing the debate very strongly on the topic of migration. Stocker says, for example, in the context of his comments on identity, that those “who have come to us” have done so voluntarily. “They have chosen this country and therefore they must also accept how we live in this country, what tradition and identity we have.”

In social media posts, Der Standard notes that the party states things like: “Anyone who believes that they should not shake a woman’s hand because she is ‘unclean’ must leave.” Or: “Anyone who rejects our way of life must leave!” 

Integration a key component 

Integration Minister Susanne Raab (ÖVP) told the Kronen Zeitung earlier this year that the concept was centred on integration. 

“Integration means learning the language, going to work and also accepting the values of our coexistence,” she said.

“And that is relevant because many people come to us who have been socialised completely differently. Where the culture is completely different, where women are worth less than men, where girls have no access to education and are forced into marriage or where the police are not your friend and helper, but highly corrupt. All of this is important to convey. And this is where immigrants also have to adapt.”

Raab added that it was possible for someone who did not adapt to face sanctions. 

“Yes, there will be measures that can be implemented in law, Raab told the newspaper, suggesting that could include cuts to social benefits, for example, or negative influences in the citizenship procedure or to asylum status.

The minister gave the example of when refugees come to Austria they have to take a German and values course as well as sign a declaration of integration otherwise there is a risk of having social benefits cut. The ÖVP is also currently considering further sanctions. 

Whatever the case, it is clear that the ÖVP is pushing for more integration measures in Austria, which is something they have been doing consistently. 

READ ALSO: Austrian minister wants foreigners to improve German levels to keep social benefits

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