‘Tis the season to be shopping, and the major supermarkets and shopping centres are willing to open their doors on normal days off to get their hands on the last of your Christmas cash.
On Sunday, shops will not only be open in the historic centres of Brussels and Antwerp, the supermarket chains will exceptionally be open. The full gamut of Delhaize options – normal supermarkets, Shop & Go and AD Delhaize, will open on Sunday, as will most Proxy mini-markets which are independently run franchises and often open on Sunday anyway. Some Shop & Go outlets may choose to open for part of the day on Wednesday.
Likewise, Carrefour hypermarkets will be open, usually until 20.00, while Express and Market franchises will keep to their usual hours. Some operators may also choose to be open on Christmas Day on Wednesday, albeit with reduced opening hours.
The Colruyt chain will remain closed on Sunday with a few exceptions, operating normal hours on Monday and Tuesday, and remaining closed on Wednesday.
Aldi stores will be closed on Sunday and Wednesday, and open as usual the other two days. In most cases, unless otherwise stated, local situations will vary, so check with your usual shopping venue to be sure.
In the major shopping centres across the country, Sunday opening is the general rule, as is Wednesday closure. That’s the case for City 2 and Docks in Brussels, as well as Toison d’Or (from 11.00 to 18.00 only). The Stadsfeestzal in Antwerp is open on Sunday during the same hours, while Wijnegem shopping centre is open from 10.00 to 19.00.
Other shopping centres, check online for details: Médiacité and Belle-Ile in Liege, Les Grands Prés in Mons; Ville 2 and Rive Gauche in Charleroi and L’Esplanade in Louvain-la-Neuve.
Everywhere, local shops may open according to the owner’s discretion.
Alan Hope
The Brussels Times
