Winter sales could be extended by two weeks

Winter sales could be extended by two weeks
Credit: Belga

This year’s winter sales could be extended by two weeks after the High Council for the Self-Employed and SMEs ruled in favour of an extension.

The House Economy Committee decided to seek advice before voting on a bill to postpone the end date of the winter sales to give a boost to shopkeepers.

The High Council’s positive opinion is on the condition that the extension be an exception. Economy and Labour minister Pierre-Yves Dermagne and Self-Employed and SME minister David Clarinval indicated on Tuesday that they too support the bill.

Dermagne and Clarinval “were waiting for the opinion of the High Council of Independents and SMEs,” they announced on Tuesday morning. The High Council’s positive opinion “leads the two ministers (…) to support it in turn.”

As a result, the winter sales period could be extended to 14 February.

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Traders have larger stocks to sell off because of the crisis, and the sales did not start off as well as they had hoped, they noted.

"Extending the winter sales period by two weeks will enable many traders to sell their stock," Dermagne said. "I think that the extension of the bargain hunting period is also a good thing. By extending the sales season, peak moments will be avoided."

Clarinval, meanwhile, said he's "aware that with this new measure we will not solve all the problems of the affected traders, but I am glad that good parliamentary work will make it possible to introduce additional support for sectors that desperately need it."

The bill to extend the sales period should be voted on this week.

Jason Spinks

The Brussels Times


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