Croatia wants to make Sundays non-working days

This will improve health, reduce stress, and positively impact the environment

On 22 July, the Croatian government announced its proposal to amend the Trade Act. According to the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Tomislav Ćorić, the government should make Sundays non-working days.

According to the findings of a recent survey, over 50% of respondents believe working on Sundays is “a dysfunctional social phenomenon”. In addition to this, two-thirds of people would rather work a lower-paying job than take up employment in a business that asks them to work on Sundays.

Benefits of non-working Sundays

Member of Parliament Marijana Petir shared that a non-working Sunday has numerous advantages. More specifically, Petir explained that there are multiple scientific studies which have confirmed that working on Sundays can negatively impact our health. That is, it can cause emotional exhaustion and high levels of stress.

Petir reportedly proposed similar amendments to the Trade Act in 2003 and 2009; however, her suggestions were rejected due to concerns raised by retail chains. At the time, many believed that making Sunday a rest day would result in a significant drop in revenue as retail chains claimed that their turnover is highest on Sundays.

Now, Petir has revealed that according to the Tax Administration, the largest turnover in retail trade occurs on Fridays, and on Saturdays for retail chains. Therefore, making Sunday a non-working day would not actually result in sizable losses.

Reducing emissions

In a press release, the rector of the Catholic University Željko Tanjić made an important and interesting point, noting that the amendment could positively affect the environment. Taking a closer look at this link, many have suggested that decreasing working hours will result in a reduction in energy consumption and emissions.

Concluding, the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development highlighted that Croatia is a country in which society prioritises human values and family over work. For this reason, Sunday must become a day for individuals, family, and friends.