It should be up to a shop owner to decide when and for how long the outlet opens, according to the Consumers’ Association.
“The Għaqda tal-Konsumaturi was always in favour of liberalisation as it believes that when a shop is open it is delivering a service. Restricting shop opening hours for consumers means restricting services,” it said in a document submitted to the Economy Ministry as part of the consultation on shop hours.
“Taken from a consumers’ perspective, if anything, legislation should restrict the time that shops may remain closed,” it added.
This summer the government published a document for public consultation about shop opening hours.
The association said yesterday that the document was a step forward as it left shops at liberty to decide when to operate.
The government’s document proposes that all shops currently not allowed to open on Sunday can do so between 6am and 5pm provided they remain closed on another day chosen by the owners.
The association however, said it did not understand the need to communicate this to the Commerce Department.
Shops will also be allowed to remain open on public holidays except on Good Friday – an exemption that the association does not understand either.
Meanwhile, allowing shops to open until 10pm between Thursdays and Saturdays could have been extended to other weekdays, Għaqda tal-Konsumaturi said.
The association says that societies change and with them their economic systems. Work patterns have changed consumers’ shopping behaviour and as most people work between 9am and 5pm, most shopping takes place at previously considered odd hours.
The association agreed with the proposal of ending the differentiation, in terms of opening hours, between localities and the type of merchandise sold, as most shops offered a wide range of products.
The association also speaks about licences, saying the only purpose they serve is to provide another source of governmental revenue.
“If the purpose is to ensure standards, then surprise inspections are the answer. A licence does not ensure standards and we believe that the system should be reviewed.”
Under the guise of ensuring standards, in the past a licence was a common tool to restrict competition, it said.
Today the system is applied to pharmacies. “At present, especially in the retail sector, the system is not only a maze but one which increases the costs of providing a service – a cost that negatively impacts inflation and thus the quality of life of consumers.”
The public consultation comes to an end tomorrow. Suggestions should be sent to openinghours.meib@gov.mt. The document may be viewed on www.meib.gov.mt.