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Aldi also wants to open its Belgian stores on Sunday mornings: the retailer has outlined its plans to the unions. Formal negotiations on the terms and conditions have yet to begin.
On a voluntary basis
The news that Aldi is considering opening its stores on Sundays was first reported in April: at the time, the announcement caused significant unrest and even a wave of strikes in Belgian stores. The unions were dissatisfied with the way the news was announced. This week, the discounter provided further details on the plans to the unions, according to De Tijd. Aldi wants to keep all stores open on Sundays from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Employees can choose to work on Sundays on a voluntary basis and will receive a financial bonus or extra time off. The stores will not be open on legal holidays.
It is not yet known when Sunday openings will begin. According to the independent union Synova (the new name for the ACLVB), an agreement on Sunday openings will not be reached before the summer. “We’re not exactly jumping for joy, but Sunday openings are hard to stop,” says union representative Wilson Wellens. “People are relieved that it’s on a voluntary basis.”
Only Colruyt remains closed
Rival Lidl also wants to open its Belgian stores on Sundays. Initially, this would involve about 150 stores, or nearly half of the total number. The long-term plan is to open all stores on Sundays. The timing has not yet been clarified. Market leader Colruyt has consistently maintained that Sunday openings are not profitable, and thus risks becoming the only Belgian supermarket chain to remain closed on Sundays—except in tourist locations during the high season. Colruyt subsidiaries Spar, Okay, and Cru are open every Sunday.
Since the privatization of all Delhaize branches in 2023, Sunday openings have become an important new competitive tool in the Belgian food retail sector. Thanks in part to these extended opening hours, Delhaize is gaining market share, while discounters are under pressure. Carrefour is now also opening all its stores on Sundays. This has been the case for some time for Intermarché, Albert Heijn, and Jumbo, among others. Increasingly, supermarkets are even open seven days a week.
