French DIY retail giants Leroy Merlin and Kingfisher-owned Castorama have won a partial victory in a bitter quarrel over Sunday opening.
In September, the companies were told by a trade tribunal that the 15 stores they operate between them in the Paris area should not be trading on a Sunday. The order followed a protest by rival Bricorama, which has not been allowed to open its stores on Sundays since 2012, when it was taken to court by a labour union.

However, Leroy Merlin and Castorama defied the ban and opened up, despite the threat of huge fines and amid widespread opposition to the clampdown. The stores' employees wanted to work on Sundays for the extra cash, and France's strict and confused Sunday trading laws were reported to be driving French shoppers to the UK at weekends.

Now, a French appeals court has ruled that Leroy Merlin and Castorama can open their Paris stores on Sundays, and they will do so as of next week - but they may yet be thwarted in their long-term ambition to trade seven days a week.

Bricorama has launched another suit, and a definitive ruling on the matter is not expected until next month. Meanwhile, the company will have to pay Leroy Merlin and Castorama €12,000 each in damages and interest.

Interested parties hope that the resolution of the row will eventually lead to a clarification of the French Sunday trading laws.

Union action has resulted in a raft of Parisian retailers having to cut their opening hours. However, companies are allowed to employ people to work on a Sunday only if they volunteer to do so, and staff get 50% more pay for that day.