Retail shift scheduling in Greece: shop hours, Sunday openings in 2027 and the Digital Work Card

02

Shop opening hours

• Shops may open from 06:00 to 21:00, Monday to Saturday, and on the Sundays the law allows, subject to labour law (Law 4177/2013, article 15Α §1).
• By decision of the Mayor, on a proposal from the local trade association, hours may be extended up to 06:00 the next day (article 15Α §1α).
• Shops stay closed on 1 and 6 January, Clean Monday (except food shops), 25 March, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, 1 May, 15 August, 28 October, 25 and 26 December, and on a Sunday of national elections (article 15Α §1).
• On Good Friday shops neither open nor employ staff until 13:00 (Labour Code, article 204 §1).

03

The Sundays shops may open in 2027

The law allows opening on the first Sunday of each sales period, the two Sundays before Christmas, Palm Sunday, the last Sunday of the year, the second Sunday of the winter sales and the Sunday after the last Friday of November (Law 4177/2013, article 16 §1). In 2027, with winter sales from Monday 11 January and summer sales from Monday 12 July (article 15 §1), these are:

• 17 and 24 January — the first and second Sundays of the winter sales;
• 25 April — Palm Sunday;
• 18 July — the first Sunday of the summer sales;
• 28 November — the Sunday after the last Friday of November;
• 12 and 19 December — the two Sundays before Christmas.

04

Tourist areas and mayors’ decisions

• From May to October shops may open every Sunday, except the second Sunday of August, in the Municipality of Athens and in designated areas of Piraeus, Athens’ southern suburbs, Thessaloniki’s historic centre, around Athens airport and the Spata business park (Law 4177/2013, article 16 §1Α).
• A Mayor may, by reasoned decision after consultation, allow opening on other Sundays in specific areas (article 16 §2).
• On Sundays shops open from 11:00 to 20:00 (article 16 §3).

05

Staff who work on a Sunday

• The work is lawful and paid with the Sunday premium, +75% (Law 4177/2013, article 16 §4; Labour Code, articles 209 and 219).
• In addition, anyone working a Sunday in a shop must get one rest day on another working day of the week that began that Sunday (Law 4177/2013, article 16 §4).

06

The schedule in practice

• Put the open Sundays in the calendar at the start of the year, together with that week’s rest day for whoever works.
• Share Sundays and holidays fairly, and keep the 11 hours of rest between closing and the next opening (Labour Code, article 171).
• In 365shift the hours panel counts each employee’s Sunday and public-holiday hours — the Code’s nine holidays automatically. If the collective agreement that binds you gives another holiday, add it in the schedule’s Holidays tab.