Rewe Austria pushes for extended opening hours for self-service stores

Just before the start of collective contract negotiations in the Austrian retail market, Rewe Austria’s chief Marcel Haraszti called for a liberalisation of opening-hour regulations. He said the present limits hinder both unmanned self-service containers and regular stores, and pointed to a survey commissioned by the group that indicated a clear preference for later hours, including after 20:00 and on Sundays and holidays.

The company highlighted a recent constitutional court decision that restricts container operation to the same weekly total as supermarkets, currently 72 hours. Rewe currently runs four self-service boxes nationwide, after a failed pilot in Carinthia that was halted partly due to the opening-hour law. Haraszti also seeks to raise the weekly supermarket limit from 72 to 78 hours. Trade lobbyist Rainer Trefelik of the WKÖ signalled willingness to debate Saturday night extensions and up to ten open Sundays per year.