A year has passed since the introduction of new legal regulations restricting trade on Sundays and a year has passed since we published a research on analyzing the behavior of smartphone and tablet users on the first Sunday without trading.
We carried out a second study on the same group - 511,221 users who spent at least one Sunday in shopping center during the 12 months before trade ban on Sundays in Poland. Based on Selectivv mobile & location data, our analytical department shows, these people have largely become customers of discount stores such as: Biedronka, Lidl or Kaufland.
Data from March 2018 till now shows, 78% of the study group shop in discount stores which is a 15% p.p. (percentage points) increase than in the same period before the trade ban.
The research also shows a significant increase of shoppers in drug stores such as - Rossmann, Hebe, and Super-Pharm - 22% p.p. increase from year to year. This proves that Poles, instead of hypermarkets - in which they have made major purchases of all necessary products - are currently choosing faster purchases in more readily available discounts stores and drug stores that have a wider range of household chemicals or cosmetics.
It seems that - despite the changes in legislation - the weekend still remained the time when Poles spend on shopping. Analyzing the data of the days before Sunday's trading ban, the research shows that discount & drug stores are the larger beneficiaries. On Friday before the non-trading Sunday, this type of shops were visited by 14% of the studied group, which is an increase of 4 p.p. from the year before. Additionally, the research shows a significant increase of 18 p.p. of shoppers in discount stores on Saturdays vs. the year before.
Our research on Sunday trade ban covered also gas stations. Since March 2018, 9% of the studied group visited gas station on trade Sundays vs. 31% of the group that visited on non-trade Sundays. The conclusion is that Poles used gas station convenience store as a complementary for the shopping needs during the weekend. These gas station convenience store benefit significantly for the new regulations.
Does the new trade ban regulation influence Poles' online shopping habits? The research shows that 36% of the studied group shop online, which is an increase of 7 p.p. compared to previous year.
Selectivv research allowed to check how Poles change their free time habits during the trade ban Sundays. During the research period, 35% of the group spent in outdoor activities such as a park, playground, walking areas etc. on trade-ban Sundays vs. 21% on trading Sundays.
It can therefore be concluded that the ban on trade has had a positive effect on the place of entertainment for example cinema, as evidenced by the increased attendance at these places. The lack of competition with shops, which so far have been chosen by parents with children or youth on Sunday afternoons, could have contributed to a large extent.
