Latvian association „Zemnieku Saeima“ („Farmers' Seimas“) is calling for the closure of supermarkets on Sundays to support local farmers and producers, Juris Lazdins, chairman of the association's board of directors, has told LETA news agency.

This could encourage Latvians to go to the countryside more often, visit farms and buy food from local producers and village shops, he said.

According to Mr. Lazdins, this practice is common in many European countries. In addition, by shopping with farmers or in village shops, people would avoid the high mark-ups charged by supermarkets.

Lazdins believes that closing supermarkets on Sundays would benefit Latvian society and farmers, encourage the consumption of local products and help to set adequate prices for food produced and imported in Latvia.

He argues that Latvian food has to compete with imported food on supermarket shelves and that supermarkets are charging too high prices. According to the Ministry of Economy, low-income people in Latvia spend about one third of their household income on food. Overall, Latvians spend 10% more on food than people in Lithuania or Estonia.

„Unfortunately, local products are often sold at a higher price than imported ones in supermarkets. Some vegetables grown in Latvia have a mark-up in supermarkets that is three times higher than their cost price. If the markup on local potatoes, cabbage and beetroot reaches 200%, the profits are guaranteed to the big supermarket chains, not to the local grower," emphasises Mr Lazdins.

In February 2023, Latvia's former Minister of Agriculture, Didzis Šmits, said that the Ministry of Agriculture would propose a legislative initiative to limit the opening hours of large supermarkets, as is done in Germany, Switzerland and France. This would boost the viability of small retailers, caterers and farmers' markets.

In April, Latvia's previous economy minister, Ilse Indriksone, said that the opening hours of large supermarkets should not be restricted without evidence-based arguments.