The bakery, which was not named in a parliamentary question, was in 2017 reminded that it is against the law to open earlier than 6am.

The business owner challenged this ruling in an administrative court, which issued a judgement on 18 October 2017 rejecting the decision.

MP Léon Gloden raised the matter in a parliamentary question at the end of 2017. Economy minister Etienne Schneider issued his response on 5 January saying that he was bound by the law and does not have the authority to allow individual bakeries to open early.

“In effect, only a request for a sector amendment, issued by a professional representative organisation from a local, communal, regional or national branch, also by a commune administration, enabling all bakeries to open before 6am, would be acceptable,” the minister wrote.

He added that at this stage there were no plans for a complete reform of the legislation regarding opening times. But recognised “we must certainly find a compromise which takes into account the protection of the family lives of people working, as well as the needs of the business to adapt to consumer habits and technological evolutions, but equally to the expectations of people living close to shops for calm at night.”

Schneider said that research institute Liser would conduct a survey in January regarding the matter, the results of which should be published in June.