Shopping hours

Customs and regulations for shopping hours (times that shops are open) vary from countries to cities.

Some countries, particularly those with predominantly Christian populations or histories do not allow Sunday shopping. In Islamic countries some shops are closed on Fridays for noontime prayers. In Israel many shops are sometimes closed on Friday evening and Saturday during the daytime for Shabbat (the Jewish Sabbath).

Each state in Australia sets its own standard trading hours, but in most of the country the shops are open seven days a week for at least part of the day.

For some shops and other businesses in culturally Christian countries, Christmas Day is the only day in the year that they are closed.

In the United States and Canada, nearly all retail stores are open every day of the year except for Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and Easter Sunday. Some suburban and smaller communities often close on Sundays. For example, Bergen County, New Jersey, next to New York City, completely bans Sunday shopping. However, nearly all stores in the United States have restricted hours on Sundays (most often 11 am or noon to 5 - 7 pm), and stores close early on important holidays, such as Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, and Independence Day. Banks, post offices and other government offices either are closed on weekends, or close early on Saturdays. Many other non-retail establishments remain closed on weekends.

In Islamic countries shops may have special opening hours during Ramadan.

In Israel, many shops may be closed on religious holidays other than Shabbat, especially on Yom Kippur when nearly all businesses are closed.

Shop trading hours in Australia are regulated by individual states and territories.

The Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory and the states of New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, totally or almost totally deregulate shopping hours. All retail businesses in the two territories, regardless of size or product offer are able to stipulate their trading hours to suit their individual customer demand. Non-essential shops in the three states are required to remain closed on Christmas Day and Good Friday, ANZAC Day (until 1pm), and in Tasmania and NSW on Easter Sunday, and in NSW on Boxing Day (outside the Sydney special trading precinct). Shops in the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory can remain open on any public holiday. The two main supermarket operators, Woolworths and Coles, generally trade between 6 am and midnight every day, although some inner-city shops in Sydney and Melbourne operate 24 h.

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