Julia McConway | Staff Writer
The ongoing debate in France over trading laws on a Sunday raises some important questions; as it currently stands, it is illegal for most shops to open and do business on a Sunday, with the exception of shops which sell food as well as a handful of other trades. It does seem only practical that should there be consumer demand, and the retailer’s own wish to trade on a Sunday, that this should be allowed – after all, it helps to boost a wilting economy, provides more employment and, of course, it is much more convenient to the consumer for all shops to be open every day of the week.
But is there something in the French government’s wish to cling to tradition? The wish to keep Sunday reserved for relaxation and spending time with friends and family, as is traditional, is certainly not a bad idea in some respects. France has traditionally kept commerces de bouches open on Sundays, as well as cultural venues such as theatres and museums; the idea is not so much to enforce a standstill in daily life as to give the country a break from the pressure of consumerism.
We live in a world of convenience. Here in Ireland – especially in the city – it is normal for shops to be open every day; on weekdays, shops in Dundrum Town Centre are open for twelve hours, 9AM until 9PM, on Saturdays for ten hours (9AM -7PM), and on Sundays for nine hours (10AM-7PM). Certain supermarkets are open 24 hours a day – every moment possible, other than Christmas and Easter. Ireland’s Sunday trading laws are even more relaxed than they are in Britain, where it is illegal for a place of business to trade for more than six consecutive hours on a Sunday. While Irish opening hours are certainly helpful for those with limited time in the week and do meet consumer demands, it somehow feels as if we are living in a bubble of entitlement; we can purchase anything we want almost whenever we want it, and furthermore take this luxury for granted.
The idea is not so much to enforce a standstill in daily life as to give the country a break from the pressure of consumerism
Having worked for over a year in a clothes shop for children in Dundrum Town Centre, I have seen the negative side of this consumer mindset. The centre is packed with busy shoppers every weekend, and it even seems that for some, an idea of a family day out is to trail around a shopping centre for the day. Parents drag their bored children into each shop, happy to ignore them as they deliberate over which pair of chinos to buy for their four-year-old (who is blatantly more interested in picking his nose). Meanwhile, their children scream loudly and run in and out of the racks of clothes until they are finally noticed, at which point they are bribed into silence with promises of ice-cream or a visit to McDonald’s.
It doesn’t take an expert in child development to point out that a visit to the zoo or a playground would make a more appropriate venue for a day out for children. However. many parents seem happy to overlook this, as long as they and their children look the part with the new clothes they have bought. This is obviously an example of some of the worst kinds of attitudes and by no means reflects the majority of society, but it’s a terrifying picture of the direction in which we may be gradually leaning – especially considering the throngs of young people who hang around shopping centres every weekend, buying clothes for the sake of it. They must have learned this from somewhere.
As a nation, we have come a long way since quietly reading the Bible of a Sunday. As more and more people are turning away from religion, Sunday is treated as any other day of the week. I am not suggesting that we return to a day of dull reflection; for many, Sunday has ceased to have any religious significance, however the tradition of Sunday as a day for family outings lives on for some. Perhaps if Ireland were to restrict trading on Sundays even to a half day, we would be able to take a rest from this uncontrollable culture of consumerism, bring people away from the shopping centres and find amusement elsewhere. And who knows? It may turn out to be unexpectedly welcome.
